Relationship between reproductive biology and age composition and growth in Urolophus lobatus (Batoidea: Urolophidae)

The aim of the present study was to use samples, collected by trawling throughout the year along the lower west coast of Australia, to determine the reproductive biology, size and age compositions, and growth rate of Urolophus lobatus, a member of a speciose elasmobranch family (Urolophidae) for which there was previously only a small amount of such data. U. lobatus copulates about 3 months prior to the time when females ovulate, which implies that sperm is stored in the oviducal gland of the female in the intervening period. Gestation lasts for 10 months, which is relatively long for a species that does not grow to a large size. This feature is reflected in the fact that the mean disc width at parturition (105 mm) is equivalent to as much as 44% and 52% of the asymptotic disc widths of the females and males of this species, respectively. The trends exhibited by the marginal increments on vertebral centra demonstrated that each of the translucent zones in these centra is laid down annually and that their numbers can thus be used to age this species. Maturity was attained by about 70% of females and 50% of males at the end of the 4th and 3rd years after conception, respectively, or at just over 3 and 2 years after birth, respectively. Females and males typically first reach maturity at ˜200 and ∼160 mm, respectively, and attained maximal disc widths of 277 and 237 mm, respectively. Females reached maximum ages of 15 years from conception and 14 years from birth, with the corresponding values for males being 13 and 12 years, respectively. Since such a large amount of growth occurs during gestation, von Bertalanffy growth curves were constructed using the date of conception, that is, the fertilisation date, as age 0, as is usually the case with teleosts, as well as employing the birth date as age 0, as is typically the case with elasmobranchs. The growth curves drawn through the points for the disc width-at-age of the older female and male fish gave a slightly better fit when using, as age 0, the parturition date rather than the conception date. However, the asymptotic disc widths derived for females and males using the conception date, that is, 241.3 and 202.9 mm, were each still only 7.6 mm less than those derived using the birth date. Moreover, the fit of the line drawn through the points for the disc width-at-age of fish during gestation was better using the conception date as age 0 than would be achieved by a backwards extrapolation of the growth curve using the birth date as age 0. Received: 6 January 2000 / Accepted: 17 June 2000     

Advanced geophysical underground coal gasification monitoring

Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) produces less surface impact, atmospheric pollutants and greenhouse gas than traditional surface mining and combustion. Therefore, it may be useful in mitigating global change caused by anthropogenic activities. Careful monitoring of the UCG process is essential in minimizing environmental impact. Here we first summarize monitoring methods that have been used in previous UCG field trials. We then discuss in more detail a number of promising advanced geophysical techniques. These methods – seismic, electromagnetic, and remote sensing techniques – may provide improved and cost-effective ways to image both the subsurface cavity growth and surface subsidence effects. Active and passive seismic data have the promise to monitor the burn front, cavity growth, and observe cavity collapse events. Electrical resistance tomography (ERT) produces near real time tomographic images autonomously, monitors the burn front and images the cavity using low-cost sensors, typically running within boreholes. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) is a remote sensing technique that has the capability to monitor surface subsidence over the wide area of a commercial-scale UCG operation at a low cost. It may be possible to infer cavity geometry from InSAR (or other surface topography) data using geomechanical modeling. The expected signals from these monitoring methods are described along with interpretive modeling for typical UCG cavities. They are illustrated using field results from UCG trials and other relevant subsurface operations.     

火灾下圆钢管约束钢筋混凝土短柱轴压性能分析

利用ABAQUS软件建立了火灾下圆钢管约束钢筋混凝土轴压短柱非线性有限元模型,在确定混凝土和钢材的本构基础上,对其火灾下轴压性能进行了数值计算,并与已有相关试验数据进行了对比验证。分析了环境温度、混凝土强度、钢管屈服强度、截面尺寸、含钢率等参数对火灾下轴压性能的影响规律。结果表明:火灾下各试件核心混凝土纵向应力发展规律较为相似,且应力分布趋向均匀;环境温度对试件轴压刚度的影响大于极限承载力,材料强度对极限承载力的影响较大,增大钢管含钢率可一定程度提高试件轴压刚度;提出了火灾下此类试件极限承载力和轴压刚度的简化计算公式,可为工程实际应用提供参考。     

Air revitalization compounds: A literature survey

Chemical processes for air revitalization are attractive alternatives for some closed life support systems in the applications of space and marine explorations. A review of the literature is given for the purpose of evaluating potential candidates as air revitalizing chemicals based upon a set of criteria including toxicity in use, removal of airborne contaminants and bacteria, theoretical oxygen yields, chemical reactivity to breathing atmospheres, and commercial availability. The preliminary evaluation shows potassium and sodium Superoxides as prime candidates for further evaluation against the practical considerations of actual use. Upon closer scrutiny, potassium Superoxide is the desired chemical for air revitalization in closed life support systems according to the present technology. Kinetic reaction rates for the simple hydration of KO₂ were reported to increase for increasing pressures to 12 atm making it a promising air revitalization chemical at the hyperbaric conditions encountered in deep diving.     

Precipitator Equipment

The purpose of this section is to set forth the main elements and features of the equipment used for the collection of fly ash. Hardware and structural details of a routine nature having little or no bearing on basic performance are outside the scope of the paper.     

凹凸棒石组配硫酸锌对土壤Cd的钝化效果及生态风险评价

为明确凹凸棒石组配硫酸锌作为修复材料在钝化土壤Cd以及促进玉米生长方面的应用潜力,以凹凸棒石为原料,通过液相浸渍制备凹凸棒石组配硫酸锌作为钝化剂开展钝化试验与盆栽试验,研究了凹凸棒石与硫酸锌配比分别为3∶1、5∶1、7∶1、9∶1、11∶1时对土壤Cd有效性、玉米生长状况及其对Cd富集能力的影响,并采用扫描电镜初步探讨钝化剂的表面特征. 结果表明:与对照相比,添加凹凸棒石组配硫酸锌钝化处理使Cd的DTPA(二乙基三胺五乙酸)有效态含量降低了5.22%~32.77%,TCLP(毒性浸出方法)有效态含量降低了12.43%~35.65%,Cd的钝化效率随硫酸锌添加量的增加而显著提高(P<0.05). 钝化处理可显著降低玉米植株中Cd的含量,其茎部Cd含量的最大降幅为60.06%,根部Cd含量的最大降幅为32.69%,Cd主要集中分布在根部;同时,钝化剂的加入缓解了Cd对玉米生长的胁迫,随硫酸锌用量的增加,玉米生物量显著提升. 研究显示,凹凸棒石组配硫酸锌可作为对Cd污染农田修复的钝化剂,在钝化剂同等剂量水平下,凹凸棒石与硫酸锌配比为3:1时,对土壤中Cd的钝化效果最佳.      

应用电致化学发光分子探针技术对微小原甲藻的检测

以双特异分子探针技术(NPA-SH)为基础,运用电致化学发光技术(ECL)和磁性微球分选技术对其进行改进,成功建立了用于赤潮藻类定性定量分析的电致化学发光分子探针(ECL-MP)检测新技术.设计微小原甲藻特异性NPA探针并对其进行联吡啶钌和生物素标记,优化磁性微球使用量,在ECL检测装置中启动电化学反应,建立光信号与微小原甲藻细胞数目间的ECL-MP分析曲线并对其进行验证.结果表明,标记后的NPA探针具有一定的特异性和实用性;4μg是检测20μL目标藻杂交混合液的最适磁性微球使用量;在最适条件下,微小原甲藻细胞数的线性分析范围6.25×102～4×104个;比较ECL-MP和显微计数方法的样品检测结果,在95%置信区间内二者无显著差异(t-检验).ECL-MP方法为实现微小原甲藻现场样品的快速准确检测提供了一种新方法.     

东江湖表层沉积物重金属污染特征与潜在生态风险评价

为了解东江湖表层沉积物重金属的污染特征、空间分布特征以及潜在生态风险和来源,采集了东江湖12个点位的表层沉积物,对其中20种重金属（Li、 Be、 V、 Cr、 Mn、 Co、 Ni、 Cu、 Zn、 Ga、 As、 Se、 Rb、 Sr、 Ag、 Cd、 Cs、 Ba、 Pb和U）的含量进行分析.采用地累积指数法和潜在风险指数法评估了沉积物重金属的污染程度和潜在风险,并利用相关性分析和主成分分析对主要重金属进行了溯源分析.结果表明,东江湖沉积物重金属中ω（Cd）(2.25 mg·kg^-1)和ω（As）(80.80 mg·kg^-1)的平均值分别是湖南省背景值(0.11 mg·kg^-1和14.7 mg·kg^-1)的21.2倍和5.5倍,污染相对严重,重金属空间分布整体呈现：南部>北部>中部.地累积指数法评价显示Cd为偏重度污染,As和Se为偏中度污染水平,Ag和Ga为轻度污染.潜在生态风险指数评价表明东江湖表层沉积物整体表现为高风险水平,主要环境风险因子分别为Cd和As,分别表现为极高风险...