The validity of the Gammarus:Asellus ratio as an index of organic pollution: abiotic and biotic influences.

In freshwaters. Gammarus spp. are more sensitive to organic pollution than Asellus spp. and the relative abundance of the two taxa has been proposed as a pollution index. We tested the validity of this by examining the relationship between the Gammarus: Asellus (G : A) ratio and (1) a suite of physico-chemical variables. (2) established biotic (average score per taxon, ASPT) and richness (species richness (S) and Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera families richness (EPT family richness)) indices generated from the macroinvertebrate community. In addition, we investigated a suspected biotic interaction, predation, between Gammarus and Asellus. Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the G: A ratio was sometimes responsive to changes in parameters linked to organic pollution, such as BOD5 and nitrate levels. However, the G : A ratio also appeared responsive to variables not directly linked to organic pollution, such as conductivity and distance from source. There were significant positive correlations among the G : A ratio and the ASPT, S and EPT, indicating that changes in the relative abundances of Gammarus and Asellus were reflected in changes in the pollution sensitivity and richness of the wider macroinvertebrate community. A laboratory experiment revealed significant predation of Asellus aquaticus juveniles by Gammarus duebeni celticus adults, but no reciprocal predation. We propose that the G: A ratio may be useful as a crude measure of organic pollution that could supplement more complex indices in a multimetric approach to pollution monitoring or be used for monitoring individual sites, where a simple technique is required for monitoring purposes over a period of time. Also, we urge recognition of the possible role of biotic interactions among taxa used in the generation of pollution indices.     

Revised Model of Strain in Ceria–Zirconia-Encapsulated Precious-Metal Particles

A previously proposed model of strain in ceria–zirconia-encapsulated precious-metal particles is revised to reflect several new observations: encapsulation of unstrained Pt particles, quantitative relation between partial reduction and the change in ceria–zirconia cell parameters, temperature/time dependence of strain relaxation/imposition in encapsulated Pd and Rh particles, and strained PdO. According to the revised model, the main cause of strain is partial oxidation of the precious metal (rather than the change in oxygen content of ceria–zirconia, as originally suggested).     

Reliability prediction models to support conceptual design

During the early stages of conceptual design, the ability to predict reliability is very limited. Without a prototype to test in a lab environment or without field data, component failure rates and system reliability performance are usually unknown. A popular method for early reliability prediction is to develop a computer model for the system. However, most of these models are extremely specific to an individual system or industry. This paper presents three general procedures (using both simulation and analytic solution techniques) for predicting system reliability and average mission cost. The procedures consider both known and unknown failure rates and component-level and subsystem-level analyzes. The estimates are based on the number of series subsystems and redundant (active or stand-by) components for each subsystem. The result is a set of approaches that engineers can use to predict system reliability early in the system-design process. Software was developed (and is discussed in this paper) that facilitates the application of the simulation-based techniques. For the specific type of system and mission addressed in this paper, the analytic approach is superior to the simulation-based prediction models. However, all three approaches are presented for two reasons: (1) to convey the development process involved with building these prediction tools; and (2) the simulation-based approaches are of greater value as the research is extended to consider more complex systems and scenarios     

用仿真工具优化车辆动力系统(一)

在本文的第一部分，介绍了一种理想的车辆动力系统的计算机辅助开发过程。它显示了现代仿真技术在产品持续发展过程中的作用，该技术采用硬件回路作非在线的仿真，并通过现代化的试验手段对车辆进行匹配。特别重要的是提供了将电控变速器和发动机控制单元综合的可能性。接着是在线仿真在诸如发动机和变速器模式方面的应用和发展，它是上述开发过程的基础。根据上述的方法论，本文论述了仿真技术已取得的成绩和将来的应用可能性。     

Adaptive mutation parameter toggling genetic algorithm for phase-only array synthesis

A genetic algorithm that speeds convergence for phased array phase-only synthesis by adaptively toggling between nine mutation parameter pairs is illustrated. This adaptive algorithm outperforms any of the corresponding nine static cases where these same mutation parameters are held constant throughout the optimisation process.     

Measurement of Thermal Diffusivity at Low Temperatures Using an Optical Reflectivity Technique

An experimental arrangement has been developed for measuring the transient temperature responses and the thermal diffusivities of foil materials in the range of 10 to 300K by using the optical reflectivity technique. The cryogenic system with optical windows is designed to provide temperatures from 10 to 300 K. The front surface of a foil specimen is heated by a pulsed Nd:YAG laser. In situ measurement of the reflectivity of a continuous-wave He–Ne laser at the rear surface is conducted on the microsecond time scale. Using the temperature dependence of reflectivity, the transient temperature response is deduced. The thermal diffusivity is obtained by fitting Parker's formulae to the experimental data on temperature rise. Stainless-steel foils are chosen as samples and are studied in the region from 10 to 300 K. The accuracy is examined by comparing the present results with the theoretical temperature responses and thermal diffusivity data from the literature. Good agreement is observed.     

医用纺织品应用概述

1　前言自有历史记载以来就有用纺织品作人体可移植品的记录。在古埃及就已经知道亚麻线可用于外科手术的缝合来封闭病人的伤口。在最近的60年内由于纤维纺纱技术的进步 ,有了合成聚合物 ,纺织物用于人体的各种用途聚增。这只是仿生学革命的一部分 ,新的生物材料和生态纺织品被生产并用于修补和替代有疾病的、受伤的组织和器官。2　定义英国利物浦大学教授Ｄ .Ｆ .Ｗｉｌｌｉａｍｓ提出了“生物材料”这一新概念。最近纺织结构产品用作人体移植品的用途越来越多。生物纺织物的定义如下 :由纺织纤维组成的结构设计用于特殊的生态环境 (例如外…     

High-Frequency Variations in the Rotation of the Earth

We report here observational results demonstrating that a three-station network of properly distributed VLBI observatories can routinely determine UT1 with a formal standard error of ±0.05 ms of time, in an observing period of 24 h. We also report the results of a three-month series of daily observing sessions of only 1-h duration with a single interferometer, which produced estimates of UT1 with standard errors of ±0.1 ms. The UT1 values obtained from the 1-h observing sessions track smoothly between the points of the 24-h time series, and the combined time series shows that it is not unusual for UT1 to vary by 1-2 ms in periods of several days. Preliminary results of reprocessing the 24-h observing sessions in 2-h segments suggest that variations of 0.4 ms may occur on time scales of only 6-8 h.     

Microprocessor-Based Control of an Ion Beam Deposition System

A microprocessor-based system with 32 A/D, 24 D/A, and 16 ac load controllers, has been designed and built to monitor and control an ion beam thin-film deposition system. The A/D and D/A channels have electrical isolation of 7.5 kV between channels and between input and output. The microprocessor system keeps the ion beam deposition parameters stable for extended periods of operation and it is proposed as a means to greatly simplify switching from one deposition species to another to grow thin multilayer or alloy films.