TMAOase Activity of European Hake (Merluccius merluccius) Organs: Influence of Biological Condition and Season

ABSTRACT: Trimethylamine N-oxide demethylase (TMAOase) activity of several internal organs of hake were studied for 2 consecutive y. The correlation between enzymatic activity and season of year, sex, weight, and length were analyzed. While kidney and spleen showed the highest activities, liver, heart, bile, and gall bladder activities were much lower, and in some cases they were below the detection limit. A correlation between TMAOase activity of kidney and season was found. During winter and spring (February to May), the months matching the spawning peak, high activities were detected, while in summer months the activity level was lower. TMAOase activity in the rest of the organs did not seem to have a seasonal influence. Keywords: TMAOase, season, biological condition, hake, soluble protein     

A high-linearity 100-element diode grid mixer

Grid-mixer arrays can achieve high linearity and dynamic range through quasi-optical power combining. We present a 100-element single-ended diode grid mixer operating at 2.45 GHz. Each element incorporates two diodes in series. We measure an input third-order intercept of 11 W (40.5 dBm), and output third-order intercept of 3.4 W (35.4 dBm), and an associated conversion loss of 5.1 dB. The power-handling capability of the array is 100 times larger than that of a microstrip mixer using a single element. The local oscillator (LO) drive requirement for the entire array is 1.4 W (31.6 dBm). The angular dependence of the array's IF power is also presented and is in agreement with theory     

On the development of a direct method of determining the microcrack resistance curve

This report deals with direct observations of microcrack linkage at the crack tip prior to macroscopic crack initiation. It is shown that this process is directly linked to the inclusion distribution in the material and can be considered in terms of an R curve to describe microcrack development.     

The effect of a solid additive on rolling fatigue life

Behaviour of a series of lubricant oils and the effect of a non stoichiometric inorganic compound, as solid extreme pressure additive, on rolling fatigue life are studied using the rolling four-ball accelerated service simulation test proposed by Barwell and Scott. The results show, in all tested cases, the remarkable efficacy of this type of additive. The Total Acidity Number (tan) was found to increase with performance time for the case of the base lubricant, while for the oils with additives, it remained at its constant low value. This led to a proposal of a possible mechanism of the additive performance in the rolling process.     

Microscopic and Macroscopic Growth Rates of Fatigue Cracks in Steels and Alloys under the Influence of Crack Closure

On the basis of the experimental data, we show that the difference between the macroscopic and microscopic fatigue crack growth rates in the second section of the kinetic diagram of fatigue fracture is caused by the effect of crack closure within the limits of its existence. We establish the relationships between the macroscopic and microscopic fatigue crack growth rates and the structure of the material in the second section of the diagram for various values of the load ratio with regard for the effect of crack closure and propose a procedure of examination of the fracture processes in structural materials based on the analysis of microscopic and macroscopic fatigue crack growth rates.     

Incremental transmission loss allocation under pool dispatch

Incremental transmission loss analysis has been used for decades, but recent interest in its application to loss allocation calls for new in-depth results. This paper demonstrates that, for incremental methods to be applied correctly in loss allocation, it is first necessary to specify the load distribution and loss supply strategies. Incremental loss allocation among bus power injections is shown to be arbitrary and, therefore, open to challenge as discriminatory. Loss allocation is possible among incremental loads and/or generators, but the proportion of the total losses assigned to either one is arbitrary. Unique, nonarbitrary incremental loss allocations are however possible among the "equivalent" incremental bilateral exchanges between generators and loads. From these basic components it is possible then to calculate the allocation among generators or loads in any specified proportion. The main results, although developed initially for small increments, are extended to large variations. Finally, a general incremental loss allocation algorithm is developed and tested     

Tritium Labeling of Androst-4-ene-3,17-dione by Liquid-Phase Selective Hydrogenation and Factors Affecting the Process

Androstenedione labeled with tritium at positions 1 and 2 was prepared. The molar radioactivity of the sample prepared using homogeneous catalysts was as high as 1.4-1.5 PBq mol^{- 1}. [1,2-³H]Androst-4-ene-3,17-dione can be converted into the [1-³H]steroid with the molar radioactivity of 0.9 PBq mol^{- 1}.     

Modern Aluminum and Magnesium Alloys and Composite Materials Based on Them

Aluminum and magnesium alloys are the base structural materials in aircraft and spacecraft engineering. The main stages of the development and introduction of light alloys are described.     

阻止抬升盆地原油生物降解的深埋灭菌作用

微生物活动造成的原油生物降解作用发生地球中大多数的油藏中，人们认为生物降解作用大大降低油藏中原油的质量，为成功寻找工业油藏，理解地质建造中生物降解作用发生的条件与过程是十分重要的，尽管最近的研究推测微生物活动在温度在150℃仍能有效地发生，但是人们普遍认为在地质时代，有效的石油生物降解作用通常发生在温度低于80℃的储层中，然而奇怪的是在温度低于80℃的储层中，还可发现未降解的原油，本文收集了一些油藏中有关生物降解程度的数据，发现未降角原油局限于埋藏浅的冷盆地，这些盆地曾是地球中更深，更热的部位，后经抬升作用形成的，我们认为这石油储层在深埋过程中，在温度为80－90℃时经历了灭菌作用，使得深部生物圈中降解烃类的生物停止活动，尽管这些储层后期抬升到较冷的部位并再次发生石油充注，也不会发生生物降解作用，表明灭菌后的沉积物不再适合降解烃类的细菌生长。