Density,production, and survival of walleye (Sander vitreus) eggs in the Muskegon River,Michigan

Walleye (Sander vitreus) is an important sport fish in the Great Lakes that is experiencing low reproductive success after severe population declines starting in the late 1940s. In the Muskegon River, Michigan, natural reproduction of walleyes remains low and is largely supplemented by stocking. To determine factors influencing walleye reproductive success in the Muskegon River, we estimated walleye egg survival using insitu egg incubators covered with nitex screening (2003–2004) and estimated density and survival of fertilized eggs caught on furnace filter traps across different substrate types (2005–2006). We compared physical habitat suitability for walleye eggs under high and low flow scenarios. Density of walleye eggs was highest in regions of gravel/cobble substrates. Egg survival was higher in egg incubators (24–49.5%) than on furnace filter traps (2.0%), suggesting predation is an important source of walleye egg mortality in the Muskegon River. Cold water temperatures that extended developmental stage durations may also be an important source of egg mortality. The dynamic habitat suitability model predicted low suitability for eggs due to poor temperature and velocity conditions. Despite low egg survival rates, 40 million to 1 billion eggs were estimated to hatch. The low natural reproduction of walleyes in the Muskegon River is likely due to a combination of low walleye egg survival and failure of walleye larvae to reach their nursery grounds in Muskegon Lake.     

Effect of dopants on alumina grain boundary sliding: implications for creep inhibition

We investigate by means of periodic density functional theory the mechanism of grain boundary sliding along the α-alumina Σ11 tilt grain boundary. We identify minimum and maximum energy structures along a preferential sliding pathway for the pure grain boundary, as well as for grain boundaries doped with a series of early transition metals, as well as barium, gadolinium, and neodymium. We predict that the segregation of those dopants results in a considerable increase in the grain boundary sliding barrier. Grain boundary sliding occurs by a series of bond breaking and forming across the grain boundary. Our results suggest that the presence of large cations inhibits the regeneration of bonds during sliding, which results in a decrease in total number of bonds across the grain boundary interface, thereby raising the barrier to sliding. Trends in predicted grain boundary sliding energies are in good agreement with recently measured creep activation energies in polycrystalline alumina, lending further credence to the notion that grain boundary sliding plays a dominant role in alumina creep.     

Phosphotungstic heteropoly acid as efficient heterogeneous catalyst for solvent-free isomerization of α-pinene and longifolene

Silica-supported H₃PW₁₂O₄₀ (PW), the strongest heteropoly acid in the Keggin series, is an efficient, environmentally friendly heterogeneous catalyst for the liquid-phase isomerization of α-pinene and longifolene into their more valuable isomers – camphene and isolongifolene, respectively, which are intermediates in the synthesis of expensive fragrances. The reactions occur under solvent-free conditions in the temperature range of 80–100 °C, with low catalyst loadings (0.15–5 wt%) and high turnover numbers (up to 6000 per proton). The catalyst can be easily recovered and reused. No PW leaching is observed in the reaction system.     

Simulation of a LHP-based thermal control system under orbital environment

In this paper, a thermal control system, using loop heat pipe as basic heat transfer elements, was designed for Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. A system level model, which is integrated with the International Space Station model, was built, optimized and used to analyze several typical cases representing the orbital environment, to understand the operation of the LHP-based thermal control system during the mission time. The LHP system was proved to be able to maintain the Cryocooler within the required temperature range in most cases, while under some worst cold environments, the bypass valve needs to be activated.     

Variation in fatty acid composition of ewes' milk during continuous transition from dry winter to natural pasture diet

The profile variations of approximately 70 fatty acids (FAs) in milk of ewes consuming total mixed rations (TMR) and grazing natural pasture were determined. Milk of ewes grazing pasture in May and September in the Slovak Republic contained 3-times more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (P < 0.001) and trans-vaccenic acid (TVA) (P < 0.001), and 2-times more α-linolenic acid (ALA) (P < 0.001) than that of ewes fed TMR. A doubling of the CLA and TVA contents of milk of ewes fed with TMR was achieved by changing to meadow hay containing a higher ALA content. Less availability of vegetation and lower ALA pasture content in summer (P < 0.001) caused a 2-fold decrease (P < 0.001) of CLA and TVA contents when compared with data obtained in May. With grass re-growth and an increase in pasture ALA content in September, the CLA and TVA contents rose to values similar to those obtained in May (P > 0.05). No significant differences in the FA composition in milk of ewes grazing on summer pasture at higher altitude were observed.     

Partial error tolerance for bit-plane FIR filter architecture

Whereas some applications require correct computation many others do not. A large domain where perfect functional performance is not always required is multimedia and DSP systems. Relaxing the requirement of 100% correctness for devices and interconnections may dramatically reduce costs of manufacturing, verification, and testing. The goal of this paper is to develop a method for trading computational correctness for an additional chip area involved by fault-tolerance implementation. The method is demonstrated for the BP array in the following way: only the most significant bits of the output word are made fault-tolerant. By introducing the concept of partially error-tolerant BP array, designers achieve one more degree of tradeoff freedom. Formal definitions of the proposed terms are given. A mathematical path based on transitive closure that generates an error significance map for the BP array is proposed. The design tradeoff is demonstrated through FPGA implementation. The achieved area savings are presented as a function of a number of most significant fault-tolerant bits.     

Wärmeübertragung bei der Strömung Newton'scher Flüssigkeiten in Rohren mit SchraubeneinheitenHeat transfer to a Newtonian liquid flowing through a pipe with built-in helical elements

The effect of two types of helical elements built in a cylindrical pipe on the heat transfer intensity in a heated Newtonian liquid was investigated.The results express the dependence of the heat transfer coefficient upon flow conditions and upon physical and geometrical properties of the system examined. The resulting dimensionless equations are given in graphic form. The range of Reynolds and Prandtl numbers investigated was from 90 to 5000 and from 6 to 60, respectively.     

Groundwater-surface water interactions and agricultural nutrient transport in a Great Lakes clay plain system

Nutrient export from agricultural land to surface waters is a significant environmental concern within the Great Lakes Basin (GLB). A field-based watershed-scale study was completed to investigate spatial and temporal variations of phosphorus and nitrate to assess nutrient transport pathways and groundwater-surface water interactions in an agriculturally dominated clay plain system. This was conducted in the 127 km² Upper Parkhill Watershed, near Lake Huron in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Data collection occurred from June 2018 to May 2019 via continuous sensor deployment and discrete sampling of stream water, groundwater, hyporheic zone, and tile drainage water. Samples were analyzed for various nutrient species (total, total dissolved, soluble reactive, and particulate phosphorus, and nitrate-N) to examine the hydrological dynamics of principal transport pathways of agriculturally-derived nutrients. Total phosphorus and nitrate concentrations in stream water ranged from 0.007 to 0.324 mg/L and 0.32 to 13.13 mg NO₃^?-N/L, respectively. Tile drainage water total phosphorous concentrations varied from 0.006 to 0.066 mg/L. Groundwater total dissolved phosphorus concentrations ranged from <0.003 to 0.085 mg/L. Transport of phosphorus through tile drainage was observed to be greater than through groundwater over the study period. No distinct relationship was observed between nutrient concentrations in the hyporheic zone and the vertical hydraulic gradient within this zone in the studied stream reach. Preliminary correlations were discerned between water quality observations and recognized land management practices. Given the elevated stream nutrient concentrations, these results are consequential for the continual improvement of strategies and programs devised to conserve water resources within the GLB.