Spatial variability of thermal regimes and other environmental determinants of stream fish communities in the Great Lakes Basin,Ontario, Canada

Temperature is one of the most important environmental variables in stream ecosystems because it affects the growth, survival and distribution of stream biota. This study examined if the spatial variability of thermal regimes and 18 other environmental variables were associated with fish communities in watersheds throughout the Great Lakes Basin (GLB), Ontario. The thermal regimes were defined as regimes 1, 2 and 3 and had maximum water temperatures of 26.4, 28.4 and 23.5°C, and spring warming rates of 0.20, 0.12 and 0.10 °C d^?1, respectively. The spatial variability of the thermal regimes (VTR) within the watersheds was summarized into four VTR groups: S1, S2, M23 and M123. Stream sites in S1 watersheds had temperatures characteristic of regime 1 whereas stream sites in S2 watersheds followed regime 2. M23 watersheds had sites with a mix of regimes 2 and 3 whereas M123 watersheds had all three thermal regimes at sites throughout watersheds. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) indicated that 16% of the variation in fish communities was related to the spatial VTR in the watersheds. Forward selection CCA indicated that elevation, the S1 VTR group, sparse forest cover, wetland area, base flow index (groundwater discharge potential), flow and industrial stress explained 42% of the variance in the fish communities. Simplified indicator species analysis (ISA) showed that different species could be used as indicators for each of the VTR groups. Human activities such as industrial development, deforestation, groundwater withdrawal and flow alteration all may affect the environmental variables related to stream fish communities. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Carbon Black-Supported Single-Atom Co?N?C as an Efficient Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalyst for H2O2 Production in Acidic Media and Microbial Fuel Cell in Neutral Media

Single metal atom isolated in nitrogen-doped carbon materials (M N C) are effective electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which produces H₂O₂ or H₂O via 2-electron or 4-electron process. However, most of M N C catalysts can only present high selectivity for one product, and the selectivity is usually regulated by complicated structure design. Herein, a carbon black-supported Co N C catalyst (CB@Co N C) is synthesized. Tunable 2-electron/4-electron behavior is realized on CB@Co-N-C by utilizing its H₂O₂ yield dependence on electrolyte pH and catalyst loading. In acidic media with low catalyst loading, CB@Co N C presents excellent mass activity and high selectivity for H₂O₂ production. In flow cell with gas diffusion electrode, a H₂O₂ production rate of 5.04 mol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ is achieved by CB@Co N C on electrolyte circulation mode, and a long-term H₂O₂ production of 200 h is demonstrated on electrolyte non-circulation mode. Meanwhile, CB@Co N C exhibits a dominant 4-electron ORR pathway with high activity and durability in pH neutral media with high catalyst loading. The microbial fuel cell using CB@Co N C as the cathode catalyst shows a peak power density close to that of benchmark Pt/C catalyst.     

融合矩阵分解和代价敏感的微生物数据扩增算法

微生物会对人类健康产生直接影响,对相关数据的分析有助于疾病诊断。然而,采集到的数据存在类不平衡与高稀疏性两个问题。现有的过采样方法在一定程度上可缓解数据的类不平衡,但是难以应对微生物数据的高稀疏性。本文提出了一种融合矩阵分解和代价敏感的数据扩增算法,其包含3个技术。首先,将原始矩阵分解为样本子空间和特征子空间;其次,利用样本子空间的正向量及其近邻向量生成合成向量;最后,根据合成向量与所有负向量的距离对其过滤。实验在8个微生物数据集上进行,同时与5种过采样算法对比,结果表明本文所提算法能够增强正样本的多样性,在识别出更多正样本的同时,分类结果的代价更低。     

SnO_2/MWCNTs复合改性阳极对海底沉积物微生物燃料电池电化学性能的影响

采用电沉积法和浸渍法制备了氧化锡/多壁碳纳米管(SnO_2/MWCNTs)复合材料,并首次将其应用在海底沉积物微生物燃料电池(MSMFCs)的阳极改性,测试分析SnO_2/MWCNTs改性阳极的电化学性能和由其组成的电池性能。结果表明,SnO_2/MWCNTs复合阳极的氧化还原电化学活性和电子转移动力学活性分别是空白组的28.26倍和983.7倍;电容性能是空白组的43.14倍;阳极电荷转移电阻约是空白组的1/4。复合改性阳极组MSMFCs的最大功率密度(1 085.1 m W/m2)是空白组的2.17倍。机理分析表明,MWCNTs提高了阳极的导电性,SnO_2使氧化还原反应更容易进行,阳极的电容性能增加;在特殊的海洋弱碱条件下,SnO_2和MWCNTs的增强协同作用使复合改性阳极表现出更加优异的性能。     

冷等离子体处理对生鲜鸡胸肉杀菌效果及品质影响

目的 研究沿面介质阻挡放电(Surface Dielectric Barrier Discharge,SDBD)等离子体对生鲜鸡胸肉的杀菌作用及品质影响。方法 采用放电功率为260 W的SDBD等离子体分别处理生鲜鸡胸肉2 min和4 min,并于4 ℃贮藏12 d。每隔3 d取样,测定菌落总数、色泽、pH、汁液流失率、硫代巴比妥酸反应物(Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances,TBARS)含量、挥发性盐基氮(Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen,TVB-N)含量及质构特性。结果 经SDBD等离子体处理2 min或4 min,并于4 ℃贮藏12 d后,生鲜鸡胸肉的菌落总数分别为7.16 lg(CFU/g)和6.70 lg(CFU/g),均低于对照组样品的菌落总数(7.55 lg(CFU/g))。此外,SDBD等离子体处理能够显著(P<0.05)改善冷藏期间鸡胸肉的品质参数,如pH、色泽(L^*、a^*和b^*)、汁液流失率、TVB–N含量和质构特性(硬度、弹性、咀嚼性等),但对脂质氧化具有促进作用。结论 SDBD等离子体对生鲜鸡胸肉具有良好的杀菌效果,并有效保持了其品质,在鸡胸肉保鲜上具有巨大的应用前景。     

On the linguistic nature of cyberspace and virtual communities

This paper argues for a linguistic explanation of the nature of Virtual Communities. Virtual Communities develop and grow in electronic space. or cyberspace. Authors such as Benedikt Meyrowitz and Mitchell have theorised about the nature of electronic space whilst Lefebvre. Popper, Hakim Bey (aka Lamborn Wilson) and Kuhn have theorised more generally about the nature of space. Extending this tradition and the works of these authors, this paper presents a language based perspective on the nature of electronic spaces. Behaviour in cyberspace is based on and regulated by hardware, software tools and interfaces. A definition of electronic space cannot be given beyond its linguistic characteristics, which underlie and sustain it. The author believes that the more users and developers understand the relationship between language and cyberspace, the more they will be able to use specific metaphors for dwelling and inhabiting it. In particular, MUDs/MOOs and the Web are interesting places for testing and observing social behaviours and dynamics.     

Chemiotropic behavior of female olive fly (Bactrocera oleae GMEL.) onOlea europaea L

An interpretation is given of a number of observations on the chemiotropic behavior ofBactrocera oleae in connection with olive maceration water and the fly's return to the olive groves after the first summer rains. To this end, the headspace of both maceration water and leaf leaching water, simulating rainfall, were examined. In both cases, the presence of ammonia, which is generally known to attract fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae), was detected and, for the first time, in addition to other compounds that are inert for the fly, the presence of styrene was also detected. This aromatic hydrocarbon was found to be a strong attractant. It is shown that both ammonia and styrene are products of the metabolism of microbial flora present on the olive and leaf surface.     

A web-based self-testing system with some features of Web 2.0: Design and primary implementation

Self-testing is a means to check learning effect. Besides time–space restriction, there are many deficiencies in traditional offline self-testing. With the development of information technology, learners can have self-testing on the Internet. Self-testing on Internet, namely, web-based self-testing, overcomes time–space limitation of traditional offline self-testing, but there are still several disadvantages such as monotony and lack of interaction. In the article, a web-based self-testing system with some features of Web 2.0 is designed and implemented, aiming at overcoming the weaknesses of current online self-testing system. Firstly, taking English self-testing as an example, the framework of the system and functions of its main modules is designed according to theories of social learning and constructivism as well as the idea of Web 2.0 and the characteristics of server-side programming. Secondly, in accordance with the design above, a new system is implemented for English learners primarily by using HTML, JavaScript, PHP, and MySQL comprehensively. The role and duty of webmaster are also described briefly. To test the system, some English learners were invited randomly to use it, and feedback information was collected from them after a period of time. It is shown by feedbacks that most learners are satisfied with the system, and the system is of distinct features and favorable practicality compared with other systems, but it still needs to be improved in the design of user interface and some other details. Results in the article demonstrate that the new system can overcome the shortcomings of current systems to some extent.