Structural Variation (SV) Markers in the Basidiomycete Volvariella volvacea and Their Application in the Construction of a Genetic Map

Molecular markers and genetic maps are useful tools in genetic studies. Novel molecular markers and their applications have been developed in recent years. With the recent advancements in sequencing technology, the genomic sequences of an increasingly great number of fungi have become available. A novel type of molecular marker was developed to construct the first reported linkage map of the edible and economically important basidiomycete Volvariella volvacea by using 104 structural variation (SV) markers that are based on the genomic sequences. Because of the special and simple life cycle in basidiomycete, SV markers can be effectively developed by genomic comparison and tested in single spore isolates (SSIs). This stable, convenient and rapidly developed marker may assist in the construction of genetic maps and facilitate genomic research for other species of fungi.     

Influence of water on fast hydrogenation reactions with monolithic and slurry catalysts

The influence of water on the hydrogenation of α-methyl styrene (AMS) with Ni–Al₂O₃ slurry and monolithic catalysts was investigated. Addition of water to this liquid-phase hydrogenation results in a four-phase system, as applied industrially for the partial hydrogenation of benzene. Addition of already a limited amount of water to AMS reaction mixture resulted in a strong decrease in activity. This could not be explained by a poisoning effect of water.It has been made plausible that the reaction changes from diffusion limited in hydrogen to diffusion limited in AMS in the presence of free water. The formation of a water layer around the catalyst introduces an external mass transfer resistance for AMS. Two mechanisms are proposed to explain the trend of decreasing activity upon increasing the amount of water. Both the slurry and the monolithic catalyst show the same behaviour. The water layer is formed on monoliths as easily as on slurry catalysts. As the formation of a water layer is a prerequisite for high selectivity in the partial hydrogenation of benzene, the application of monoliths in this reaction is promising.     

Liquid–liquid slug flow: Hydrodynamics and pressure drop

In this paper, the hydrodynamics and the pressure drop of liquid–liquid slug flow in round microcapillaries are presented. Two liquid–liquid flow systems are considered, viz. water-toluene and ethylene glycol/water-toluene. The slug lengths of the alternating continuous and dispersed phases were measured as a function of the slug velocity (0.03–0.5 m/s), the organic-to-aqueous flow ratio (0.1–4.0), and the microcapillary internal diameter (248 and 498 μm). The pressure drop is modeled as the sum of two contributions: the frictional and the interface pressure drop. Two models are presented, viz. the stagnant film model and the moving film model. Both models account for the presence of a thin liquid film between the dispersed phase slug and the capillary wall. It is found that the film velocity is of negligible influence on the pressure drop. Therefore, the stagnant film model is adequate to accurately predict the liquid–liquid slug flow pressure drop. The influence of inertia and the consequent change of the slug cap curvature are accounted for by modifying Bretherton’s curvature parameter in the interface pressure drop equation. The stagnant film model is in good agreement with experimental data with a mean relative error of less than 7%.     

Modelling and analysis using GROOVE

In this paper we present case studies that describe how the graph transformation tool groove has been used to model problems from a wide variety of domains. These case studies highlight the wide applicability of groove in particular, and of graph transformation in general. They also give concrete templates for using groove in practice. Furthermore, we use the case studies to analyse the main strong and weak points of groove.     

Bisimilarity of Open Terms

Traditionally, in process calculi, relations over open terms, i.e., terms with free process variables, are defined as extensions of closed-term relations: two open terms are related if and only if all their closed instantiations are related. Working in the context of bisimulation, in this paper we study a different approach; we define semantic models for open terms, so-called conditional transition systems, and define bisimulation directly on those models. It turns out that this can be done in at least two different ways, one giving rise to De Simone's formal hypothesis bisimilarity and the other to a variation which we call hypothesis-preserving bisimilarity (denoted ^fh and ^hp, respectively). For open terms, we have (strict) inclusions ^fhhpci (the latter denoting the standard “closed instance” extension); for closed terms, the three coincide. Each of these relations is a congruence in the usual sense. We also give an alternative characterisation of ^hp in terms of nonconditional transitions, as substitution-closed bisimilarity (denoted ^sb). Finally, we study the issue of recursion congruence: we prove that each of the above relations is a congruence with respect to the recursion operator; however, for ^ci this result holds under more restrictive conditions than for ^fh and ^hp.     

Soliton loop mirror demultiplexer using orthogonally polarized signal and control

For future ultra high speed (/spl ap/100 Gb/s) time division multiplexed (TDM) communications systems, a means of demultiplexing the individual channels is essential. We report demonstration of a loop mirror demultiplexer operating in the soliton regime using polarization multiplexing of the control and signal. A clean, high-contrast, high-efficiency switching window is obtained by optimizing control and signal pulse energy, fiber length, etc. The results are compared with loop mirror demultiplexer operation in the linear regime, and with numerical simulations.     

Identifying Distributive Injustice Through Housing (Mis)Match Analysis: The Case of Social Housing in Amsterdam

In this paper, an analytical model for measuring match and mismatch between social housing units and their tenants is presented and applied to the social rented housing sector of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Through the use of a large set of unique micro-data combining housing unit and household characteristics, mismatches on two key dimensions of physical adequacy and affordability and for different household types and parts of the city can be revealed. Empirically assessing the (mis)match of social housing units at a small scale – where socio and spatial (mis)matches manifest – creates opportunities for innovation in the analysis of effects of market mechanisms and local housing allocation policies. An improved understanding of these mismatches based on a strong empirical base can be related to and evaluated against different principles of distributive justice. The findings for the case of Amsterdam show that the famous large social housing stock incorporates significant mismatches. Households in the least popular parts of the city comparatively do not live affordably and large inequities exist between households based on length of residence. These findings offer a basis for further exploration of the complex of housing allocation, changing housing distributions and the resulting outcomes in terms of distributive justice.     

Tailoring Surface Properties via Functionalized Hydrofluorinated Graphene Compounds

A new compound material of 2D hydrofluorinated graphene (HFG) is demonstrated whose relative hydrogen/fluorine concentrations can be tailored between the extremes of either hydrogenated graphene (HG) and fluorinated graphene (FG). The material is fabricated through subsequent exposures to indirect hydrogen plasma and xenon difluoride (XeF₂). Controlling the relative concentration in the HFG compound enables tailoring of material properties between the extremes offered by the constituent materials and in‐plane patterning produces micrometer‐scale regions with different surface properties. The utility of the technique to tailor the surface wettability, surface friction, and electrical conductivity is demonstrated. HFG compounds display wettability between the extremes of pure FG with contact angle of 95° ± 5° and pure HG with contact angle of 42° ± 2°. Similarly, the HFG surface friction may be tailored between the two extremes. Finally, the HFG electrical conductivity tunes through five orders of magnitude when transitioning from FG to HG. When combined with simulation, the electrical measurements reveal the mechanism producing the compound to be a dynamic process of adatom desorption and replacement. This study opens a new class of 2D compound materials and innovative chemical patterning with applications for atomically thin 2D circuits consisting of chemically/electrically modulated regions.