Ocean current variability and the spawning season of Hawaiian reef fishes

Synopsis The spawning patterns of four Hawaiian reef fishes with similar reproductive habits, but different biogeographic distributions were studied from September 1980 to October 1981. Two species are Hawaiian endemics [Centropyge potteri (Pomacanthidae) and Chaetodon multicinctus (Chaetodontidae)] and the other two have pan-tropical Pacific distributions [Ctenochaetus strigosus and Zebrasoma flavescens (Acanthuridae)]. All showed increased spawning activity from January to July, the prevalent pattern among a majority of coastal marine fishes in Hawaii. Environmental correlatives to the period of peak reproduction include cycles of (a) daylight length and temperature which probably function as proximate cues and (b) seasonal variations in ocean current patterns which may ultimately affect survival of larvae and dispersal. Peak reproduction takes place during months when (1) mesoscale eddies most likely occur, and (2) the probability is greatest of drifting objects remaining near the islands.     

Multiscale simulations of protein folding: application to formation of secondary structures

A multiscale simulation method of protein folding is proposed, using atomic representation of protein and solvent, combing genetic algorithms to determine the key protein structures from a global view, with molecular dynamic simulations to reveal the local folding pathways, thus providing an integrated landscape of protein folding. The method is found to be superior to previously investigated global search algorithms or dynamic simulations alone. For secondary structure formation of a selected peptide, RN24, the structures and dynamics produced by this method agree well with corresponding experimental results. Three most populated conformations are observed, including hairpin, β-sheet and α-helix. The energetic barriers separating these three structures are comparable to the kinetic energy of the atoms of the peptide, implying that the transition between these states can be easily triggered by kinetic perturbations, mainly through electrostatic interactions between charged atoms. Transitions between α-helix and β-sheet should jump over at least two energy barriers and may stay in the energetic trap of hairpin. It is proposed that the structure of proteins should be jointly governed by thermodynamic and dynamic factors; free energy is not the exclusive dominant for stability of proteins.     

2003年稻纵卷叶螟重大迁入过程的大气动力机制分析

为了探明稻纵卷叶螟灾变性迁入的大气动力学机制,本研究在ArcGIS中对2003年我国稻纵卷叶螟的时空分布规律进行了简要的地学分析。在此基础上,选取了有典型意义的重大迁入过程2个,从PCVSATTM接收系统中调取覆盖各迁飞过程的实测气象数据和T213数值预报产品,输入MM5中尺度数值预报模式对迁飞和降落期间的大气动力场进行了数值模拟和客观分析。结果表明：（1）用850 hPa和925 hPa高度风向来分别描述稻纵卷叶螟北迁和南迁主迁飞层种群迁移的方向是比较合适的。北迁时,从源地到迁入地之间有比较一致的偏南气流;南迁时,从源地到迁入地之间则有相对均一的偏北气流。水平风场上的气旋式曲率区有利于害虫的起飞迁出,反气旋式曲率区则有利于其迁入降落。（2）垂直气流场中下沉气流的推动作用是稻纵卷叶螟迁入和降落的最直接大气动力机制,当稻纵卷叶螟迁入某一即将危害的稻区时,其降落前36～12 h以内的850 hPa等压面上常表现为相对强而宽广的下沉气流区。（3）在稻纵卷叶螟迁入与为害前36～12 h内的高空850 hPa和925 hPa散度场上,降虫区上空对应着比较一致的高值正散度区,表明有较强的下沉气流存在,这对降虫十分有利。（4）850 hPa、925 hPa等压面上的水平流场、垂直气流场和散度场的特征分布对预测稻纵卷叶螟的迁入和降落具有很好的指示意义。     

Morphological analysis of pore size and connectivity in a thick mixed‐culture biofilm

Morphological parameters are commonly used to predict transport and metabolic kinetics in biofilms. Yet, quantification of biofilm morphology remains challenging because of imaging technology limitations and lack of robust analytical approaches. We present a novel set of imaging and image analysis techniques to estimate internal porosity, pore size distributions, and pore network connectivity to a depth of 1 mm at a resolution of 10 µm in a biofilm exhibiting both heterotrophic and nitrifying activities. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans revealed an extensive pore network with diameters as large as 110 µm directly connected to the biofilm surface and surrounding fluid. Thin‐section fluorescence in situ hybridization microscopy revealed that ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB) distributed through the entire thickness of the biofilm. AOB were particularly concentrated in the biofilm around internal pores. Areal porosity values estimated from OCT scans were consistently lower than those estimated from multiphoton laser scanning microscopy, though the two imaging modalities showed a statistically significant correlation (r = 0.49, p < 0.0001). Estimates of areal porosity were moderately sensitive to gray‐level threshold selection, though several automated thresholding algorithms yielded similar values to those obtained by manually thresholding performed by a panel of environmental engineering researchers (±25% relative error). These findings advance our ability to quantitatively describe the geometry of biofilm internal pore networks at length scales relevant to engineered biofilm reactors and suggest that internal pore structures provide crucial habitat for nitrifier growth.     

Predicted melt curve and liquid-state transport properties of TATB from molecular dynamics simulations

The melt curve and the liquid-state transport properties shear viscosity, self-diffusion coefficient and thermal conductivity of 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) were predicted using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. The TATB melt curve was obtained using solid–liquid coexistence simulations and is in good accord with the Simon–Glatzel equation. The temperature dependencies of the shear viscosity and self-diffusion coefficient are predicted to obey Arrhenius behaviour for pressures up to P = 20 kbar. The thermal conductivity has a linear temperature dependence for P < 15 kbar and a linear density (ρ) dependence for ρ > 1200 kg m^?3. At similar densities the shear viscosity of liquid TATB is close to the predictions for liquid nitromethane [58] but lower than the predictions for liquid HMX [24] and RDX [59]. The self-diffusion coefficient for TATB is predicted to be higher than predictions for nitromethane, HMX and RDX at similar densities. The conductivity of TATB is ≈20% greater than the conductivity of liquid HMX at a given density.