亚麻酸处理对苹果果实愈伤的促进作用及相关机理

目的：研究亚麻酸（linolenic acid,LA）对苹果果实采后愈伤的影响,探讨相关生化机理。方法：用1 mmol/L LA浸泡处理模拟损伤的‘富士’苹果果实,以含微量乙醇的无菌水处理为对照,通过测定苹果病情指数和质量损失率评价LA的愈伤效果,并分析果实伤口处苯丙烷代谢关键酶活力及代谢产物含量,以及H2O2含量和过氧化物酶活力。结果：与对照组相比,LA处理降低了愈伤期间损伤果实的质量损失率和损伤接种果实的病情指数;此外,LA处理提高了果实伤口处4 种苯丙烷代谢关键酶（苯丙氨酸解氨酶、肉桂酸-4-羟化酶、4-香豆酰辅酶A连接酶和肉桂醇脱氢酶）的活力,增加了4 种酚酸（芥子酸、阿魏酸、肉桂酸和咖啡酸）、3 种木质素单体（松柏醇、肉桂醇和芥子醇）以及总酚、类黄酮和木质素的含量;处理果实伤口处的H2O2含量和过氧化物酶活力也明显提高。结论：LA可通过激活苯丙烷代谢、提高H2O2含量和过氧化物酶活性来促进苹果果实愈伤。     

Monte Carlo modelling of wet-chemical lithography with masks

We propose Monte Carlo simulation of the etching process in two dimensions for the manufacture of microchannels and microcavities on a solid substrate. The method combines the effect of two different regimes based on diffusion-limited disaggregation and reaction-limited erosion, respectively. Besides, the role of the selectivity in site extraction is taken into account to foresee the effects of the temperature of the eroding bath. This technique proves to be a valid alternative to more complex analytical methods to describe surface decay processes in the presence of overhangs. The relevant geometries of the etched surfaces are analyzed, and other statistical properties of the cavities are discussed and compared to the ones predicted by continuum models.     

Homogeneous and heterogeneous polymorphic transformations in alkaline earth feldspars

The displacive transformations in quartz, hexacelsian and the strontium equivalent of the latter, are homogeneous incipient transformations. These transformations are carried out mostly as a second (or higher) order reaction, and are finally completed abruptly as a first-order reaction which results from a sudden release of strain accumulated due to bond stretching. In such transformations the first-order mode of reaction seems to be eliminated to various extents by the introduction of impurities as solid solution to the structure. Such impurities promote heterogeneous transformations. The extent of sluggishness of displacive transformations and of stability relationship in alkaline earth feldspars is correlated with the various ionic sizes of barium, strontium and calcium. Displacive and diffusive transformations in alkali feldspars are also homogeneous incipient transformations, but due to the high mobility of the alkali ions, building up of strain is prevented and no abrupt change in symmetry occurs at the transformation. The hexacelsian ⇌ celsian and monotropic transformations in SrAl₂Si₂O₈ and CaAl₂Si₂O₈ are heterogeneous incipient reconstructive transformations. Differences in melting temperatures reported in the past for BaAl₂Si₂O₈ may probably be correlated with the grain size, crystalline modification and extent of Al/Si order in the sample investigated.     

Development and validation of safety climate scales for mobile remote workers using utility/electrical workers as exemplar

Purpose

The objective of this study was to develop and test the reliability and validity of a new scale designed for measuring safety climate among mobile remote workers, using utility/electrical workers as exemplar. The new scale employs perceived safety priority as the metric of safety climate and a multi-level framework, separating the measurement of organization- and group-level safety climate items into two sub-scales. The question of the emergence of shared perceptions among remote workers was also examined.

Method

For the initial survey development, several items were adopted from a generic safety climate scale and new industry-specific items were generated based on an extensive literature review, expert judgment, 15-day field observations, and 38 in-depth individual interviews with subject matter experts (i.e., utility industry electrical workers, trainers and supervisors of electrical workers). The items were revised after 45 cognitive interviews and a pre-test with 139 additional utility/electrical workers. The revised scale was subsequently implemented with a total of 2421 workers at two large US electric utility companies (1560 participants for the pilot company and 861 for the second company). Both exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were adopted to finalize the items and to ensure construct validity. Reliability of the scale was tested based on Cronbach's α. Homogeneity tests examined whether utility/electrical workers’ safety climate perceptions were shared within the same supervisor group. This was followed by an analysis of the criterion-related validity, which linked the safety climate scores to self-reports of safety behavior and injury outcomes (i.e., recordable incidents, missing days due to work-related injuries, vehicle accidents, and near misses).

Results

Six dimensions (Safety pro-activity, General training, Trucks and equipment, Field orientation, Financial Investment, and Schedule flexibility) with 29 items were extracted from the EFA to measure the organization-level safety climate. Three dimensions (Supervisory care, Participation encouragement, and Safety straight talk) with 19 items were extracted to measure the group-level safety climate. Acceptable ranges of internal consistency statistics for the sub-scales were observed. Whether or not to aggregate these multi-dimensions of safety climate into a single higher-order construct (overall safety climate) was discussed. CFAs confirmed the construct validity of the developed safety climate scale for utility/electrical workers. Homogeneity tests showed that utility/electrical workers’ safety climate perceptions were shared within the same supervisor group. Both the organization- and group-level safety climate scores showed a statistically significant relationship with workers’ self-reported safety behaviors and injury outcomes.

Implications

A valid and reliable instrument to measure the essential elements of safety climate for utility/electrical workers in the remote working situation has been introduced. The scale can provide an in-depth understanding of safety climate based on its key dimensions and show where improvements can be made at both group and organization levels. As such, it may also offer a valuable starting point for future safety interventions.     

Optimizing well-being: The empirical encounter of two traditions.

Subjective well-being (SWB) is evaluation of life in terms of satisfaction and balance between positive and negative affect; psychological well-being (PWB) entails perception of engagement with existential challenges of life. The authors hypothesized that these research streams are conceptually related but empirically distinct and that combinations of them relate differentially to sociodemographics and personality. Data are from a national sample of 3,032 Americans aged 25-74. Factor analyses confirmed the related-but-distinct status of SWB and PWB. The probability of optimal well-being (high SWB and PWB) increased as age, education, extraversion, and conscientiousness increased and as neuroticism decreased. Compared with adults with higher SWB than PWB, adults with higher PWB than SWB were younger, had more education, and showed more openness to experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

General Analytical Framework for Design of Flexible Reinforced Earth Structures

Current design methods divide reinforced earth structures into walls and slopes by using an arbitrary face inclination of 70° as the boundary. The required maximum strength of reinforcement computed for reinforced walls are significantly higher than that computed for reinforced slopes even if the inclination is practically the same. Presented is a general analytical framework for design of flexible reinforced earth structures regardless of the slope face inclination. In fact, the framework is consistent for any structural geometry and any applicable slope stability analysis although, for demonstration purposes, the simple Culmann formulation is utilized for simple geometry with zero batter. Using an adequate slope stability formulation, the required tensile resistance of reinforcement for a given layout is calculated so as to produce the same prescribed factor of safety anywhere within the reinforced zone. That is, using the design shear strength of the soil, the required reinforcement resistance along each layer is computed to fully mobilize this shear strength for all possible slip surfaces. That is, a baseline solution is produced for an ideal long-term strength of reinforcement at any location. Consequently, the required strength of the connection between each reinforcement layer and the facing unit can also be determined. This connection strength, however, assumes small facing units with negligibly small shear and moment resistance. Parametric study is conducted to demonstrate the reasonableness of the presented framework. It is shown that the required tensile resistance and connection strength depend on factors such as: reinforcement length; intermediate reinforcement; percent coverage; and quality of fill. When compared with the current AASHTO design for walls, the required maximum long-term strength of the reinforcement as well as the required connection strength in the proposed approach are substantially smaller.     

On Transitions Between Representations: The Role of Contextual Reasoning in Calculus Problem Solving

This article argues for a shift in how researchers discuss and examine students' uses and understandings of multiple representations within a calculus context. An extension of Zazkis, Dubinsky, and Dautermann's (1996) visualization/analysis framework to include contextual reasoning is proposed. Several examples that detail transitions between modes of reasoning and how these transitions inform students' reasoning in a calculus context are discussed. These examples are used to provide evidence for the usefulness of the model for unpacking student reasoning.     

Learning equilibrium as a generalization of learning to optimize

We argue that learning equilibrium is an appropriate generalization to multi-agent systems of the concept of learning to optimize in single-agent setting. We further define and discuss the concept of weak learning equilibrium.     

A Generic Integrated Line Detection Algorithm and Its Object–Process Specification

A generic integrated line detection algorithm (GILDA) is presented and demonstrated. GILDA is based on the generic graphics recognition approach, which abstracts the graphics recognition as a stepwise recovery of the multiple components of the graphic objects and is specified by the object–process methodology. We define 12 classes of lines which appear in engineering drawings and use them to construct a class inheritance hierarchy. The hierarchy highly abstracts the line features that are relevant to the line detection process. Based on the “Hypothesis and Test” paradigm, lines are detected by a stepwise extension to both ends of a selected first key component. In each extension cycle, one new component which best meets the current line's shape and style constraints is appended to the line. Different line classes are detected by controlling the line attribute values. As we show in the experiments, the algorithm demonstrates high performance on clear synthetic drawings as well as on noisy, complex, real-world drawings.     

TRIANGULATOR: Excel spreadsheets for converting relative bearings to XYZ coordinates, with applications to scaling photographs and orienting surfaces

TRIANGULATOR comprises two Microsoft Excel spreadsheets for processing relative bearing data from an electronic total station. Program XYZ converts bearings to positions. It determines x, y, z coordinates of points from relative bearings from two base stations of known relative position. Program LINES uses the output of XYZ. It converts the x, y, z coordinates of three points into the equation of a plane, yielding strike and dip of that plane. Then it uses bearings from one base station to points on a cliff face, and calculates their x′, z′ coordinates for either direct measurement of features, or determination of the scale of a photograph. An example demonstrates the application of the program to scale the photograph of an exfoliation fracture.