Optimal discus trajectories

A general 3-D dynamic model for men's and women's discus flight is presented including precession of spin angular momentum induced by aerodynamic pitching moment. Dependence of pitching moment coefficient on angle of attack is estimated from experiment. Numerical integration of 11 equations of motion for nominal release speed v₀=25 m/s and axial spin p₀=42 rad/s also requires 3 other release conditions; initial discus flight path angle β₀, pitch attitude θ₀, and roll angle φ₀. Optimal values for these release conditions are calculated iteratively to maximize range and are similar for both men and women. The optimal men's trajectory and range R=69.39 m is produced by the strategy β₀=38.4°, θ₀=30.7°, and φ₀=54.4°. Initial angular velocities except spin are chosen to minimize wobble but an optimal initial spin rate p₀=25.2 rad/s exists that also maximizes range. Optimal 3-D range exceeds that predicted by 2-D models because, although angle of attack and lift are negative initially, 3-D motion allows advantageous orientation of lift later in flight, with tilt of the axis of symmetry from vertical becoming much smaller at landing. Optimal strategies are discontinuous with wind speed, resulting in slicing and kiting strategies in large head and tail winds, respectively. Sensitivity of optimal range is largest to initial β₀ and least to φ₀. Present calculations do not account for dependence of initial release angle or spin on release velocity or among other release conditions.     

Influence of sucrose on the rheology and granule size of cross-linked waxy maize starch dispersions heated at two temperatures

Cross-linked waxy maize (CWM) starch dispersions (STDs) of concentration 50 g kg⁻¹ were heated in sucrose solutions containing 0–600 g kg⁻¹ (g sucrose/kg dispersion) at 85 °C at low shear and in intermittently agitated cans at 110 °C. The STDs heated in 0–300 g kg⁻¹ sucrose exhibited antithixotropic behavior, while those heated in 400–600 g kg⁻¹ sucrose exhibited thixotropic behavior. The mean starch granule diameter of the starch dispersions did not show strong dependence on sucrose concentration. The dispersions, especially those with high sucrose concentrations and heated at 110 °C, exhibited G′ versus frequency (ω) profiles of gels. The STDs exhibited first normal stress differences that increased in magnitude with the concentration of sucrose. Values of the first normal stress coefficient of canned dispersions calculated from dynamic rheological data plotted against ω and experimental values plotted against shear rate of some of the STDs overlapped.     

Starch-based spherical aggregates: stability of a model flavouring compound, vanillin entrapped therein

Studies on the stability of the vanillin entrapped within the spherical aggregates obtained from amaranth (Amaranthus paniculatus L.), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.) and colocasia (Colocasia esculenta L.) in the presence of gum Arabic, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and carrageenan at 0.1–1.0% as bonding agents, were obtained by spray drying a 20% (w/w) starch dispersion at 120 °C. Vanillin was used at 5% based on starch (bos). The loss of vanillin over a 6-week storage period followed a first order kinetics. The stability was evaluated in terms of t_1/2 (weeks) from a semi-log plot of percentage retention of vanillin vs. storage time in weeks. The t_1/2 for the total vanillin and entrapped vanillin within the spherical aggregates prepared from different starches decreased in the order, amaranth>colocasia>chenopodium>rice. The t_1/2 decreased with an increase in the amylose content of the starches, although it was not linear. With respect to the bonding agent the stability decreased in the order, gum Arabic>CMC>carrageenan. While CMC and carrageenan gave an increasing value of t_1/2 with an increase in concentration from 0.5 to 1.0%, gum Arabic surprisingly gave a higher t_1/2 value at 0.5% as compared to 1.0%.     

Enzymatic activity of an extremely halophilic phosphatase from the Archaea Halobacterium salinarum in reversed micelles

Alkaline p-nitrophenylphosphate phosphatase (pNPPase) from the halophilic archaeon Halobacterium salinarum (previously halobium) was solubilized in reversed micelles of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in cyclohexane with 1-butanol as cosurfactant. The hydrolysis reaction appears to follow Michaelis–Menten kinetics. The dependency of the maximum reaction rate (V_max) on the water content θ (% v/v) (or ω₀ value: molar ratio of water to surfactant concentrations) showed a bell-shaped curve for 0.3 M CTAB, but not for 0.2 M CTAB. The enzyme activity increased with the surfactant concentration at a constant ω₀ value (10.27). When the surfactant concentration was increased at a constant θ, the enzyme activity decreased. The enzyme was more stable in reversed micelles than in aqueous media.     

Effects of Ca- and Na-lignosulfonate on starch gelatinization and network formation

The interaction of lignosulfonates with starches was examined by microscopy and viscosity measurements. 8% starch dispersions with Ca- or Na-lignosulfonate, or with only Ca²⁺ or Na⁺, were heated to 97 °C and cooled to 50 °C in a Brabender Viscograph, the gelatinization was followed by light microscopy and image analysis, and the gel network formed after cooling to 4 °C was studied under the transmission electron microscope.

The lignosulfonates (2%) delayed the initial granule swelling in all starches (native maize, waxy maize and waxy barley). The presence of ions enhanced amylose leakage resulting in lower peak viscosity. The viscosity during cooling increased more with Ca-LS than with Na-LS. With a low lignosulfonate concentration the network formed after cooling was homogeneous with fine strands. With Na-lignosulfonate, as well as with Na⁺, the network connectivity deteriorated and spherical aggregates formed. Ca-lignosulfonate induced a network with thick strands, but with Ca²⁺ the strands became thinner.     

Response time and electrorheology of semidiluted gellan, xanthan and cellulose suspensions

Response times with electrical fields of gellan and xanthan dry powder suspensions of 25, 32 and 53 μm average diameter and concentrations of 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0% (w/w) dispersed in commercial corn oil were optically measured through a specifically designed set up. In all cases, the delay time was proportional to 1/E^a, where E is the applied field and a is an adjustable parameter. The values of parameter a were very different from the typical value of some known electrorheolgical fluids. Response time of gellan suspensions was shorter than the one obtained for xanthan and it is comparable to the time found by using silica particles in silicon oil. Response times for cellulose were very large and the fibrillation phenomenon was negligible for E<1.0 kv/mm.

Viscosity measurements of semidiluted xanthan, gellan and cellulose suspensions (1.0 and 1.5% w/w) under the influence of electrical fields, were performed in a parallel plates rheometer. Results in the range of stress <70 Pa showed that viscosity values of gellan suspensions were larger than those obtained with xanthan or cellulose under the same applied electric field at shear rates higher than 10 s⁻¹. However, cellulose suspensions showed larger viscosity values compared with the ones measured with xanthan and gellan suspensions at very low shear rates. Dielectric measurements of cellulose, xanthan and gellan 1.5% w/w suspensions were performed in the range 10⁰–8×10⁴ Hz. Results agree with a Maxwell–Wagner type relaxation model.     

AFM studies on gelation mechanism of xanthan gum hydrogels

The effect of annealing on xanthan gum molecules was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The values of height and width of xanthan gum molecules in AFM images are ca. 1 nm, which strongly indicates that xanthan gum molecules extended on the mica surface are in mono- or double layers. When xanthan gum aqueous solution was annealed, a network structure was observed. In contrast, a network structure was not observed for non-annealed solution. AFM images provide direct information concerning oscillational change of the network structure. It is concluded that xanthan gum molecular chains in aqueous solution aggregate and dissociate in an oscillational manner with increasing annealing time and that a homogeneous network structure was formed by annealing at 40 °C for 24 h.     

Effects of cellulose derivatives and carrageenans on the pasting, paste, and gel properties of rice starches

Effects of different cellulose derivatives and carrageenans on the pasting, rheological, and textural properties of normal (NRS) and waxy (WRS) rice starches were investigated. When suspensions of both NRS and WRS were heated in a Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) in the presence of the hydrocolloids, increases in apparent pasting temperatures and peak and final viscosities in the following decreasing order were observed: methylcellulose (MC) > carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) for cellulose derivatives and λ- > í- > κ-carregeenan for carrageenans. Slight decreases in peak and final viscosities were observed when hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) was the hydrocolloid. Dynamic viscoelasticity measurements indicated that NRS–hydrocolloid pastes were less solid-like than the control, as evidenced by their higher tan δ values, whereas tan δ values of WRS–hydrocolloid pastes were the same as that of the control. Steady shear rheological measurements showed that addition of the different hydrocolloids used increased the apparent viscosity (η_a,100) and consistency coefficient (K) values of both starches with the same trend as that observed during pasting, whereas the opposite trend was observed for the flow behavior index (n) values. The hardness and adhesiveness of NRS pastes were significantly increased by addition of κ- and í-carrageenans, but were unaffected by the other hydrocolloids. A similar effect was observed for WRS, with the exception of κ-carregeenan, in which the hardness of the mixed paste was decreased. The starch–hydrocolloid pastes exhibited a phase-separated microstructure in which amylose- and amylopectin-rich domains were dispersed in a hydrocolloid-rich continuous phase.     

Evidence for modulation of cell-to-cell electrical coupling by cAMP in mouse islets of Langerhans

The effects of forskolin on electrical coupling among pancreatic β-cells were studied. Two microelectrodes were used to measure membrane potentials simultaneously in pairs of islet β-cells. Intracellular injection of a current pulse (ΔI) elicited a membrane response ΔV₁ in the injected cell and also a response ΔV₂ in a nearby β-cell confirming the existence of cell-to-cell electrical coupling among islet β-cells. In the presence of glucose (7 mM), application of forskolin evoked a transient depolarization of the membrane and electrical activity suggesting that the drug induced a partial inhibition of the β-cell membrane K⁺ conductance. Concomitant with this depolarization of the membrane there was a marked decrease in β-cell input resistance (ΔV₂/ΔI) suggesting that exposure to forskolin enhanced intercellular coupling. Direct measurements of the coupling ratio ΔV₂/ΔV₁ provided further support to the idea that forskolin enhances electrical coupling among islet cells. Indeed, application of forskolin reversibly increased the coupling ratio. These results suggest that cAMP might be involved in the modulation of electrical coupling among islet β-cells.     

Using simple 13C NMR linewidth and relaxation measurements to make detailed chemical shift assignments in triacylglycerols and related compounds

Two simple experiments measuring the ¹³C linewidths ν_1/2 and spin–lattice relaxation times T₁ of each of the signals in the spectrum of trilinolein indicate that the ν_1/2 and T₁ values are consistent with the different degrees of motional freedom expected for the various ¹³C nuclei. However, for each chain, the ν_1/2 and T₁ measurements indicate a small reversal in mobility at C-10 relative to C-9 before motional freedom again steadily increases on each chain starting at C-11. The T₁ experiment allows unambiguous assignments of the C-8 signal and C-14 signal, which differ by only 0.010 ppm. Measurements of ¹³C ν_1/2 and T₁ values on tripalmitin provide secure assignments for the C-5 and C-6 signals, for which conflicting assignments have been reported. The T₁ measurements also show that among the tightly clustered C-8 through C-12 signals, the C-11 signals are the most downfield, while the C-12 signals are the most upfield, again contrary to a previous report. Similar measurements of ¹³C ν_1/2 and T₁ values on other triacylglycerols or related compounds may prove equally useful in making chemical shift assignments and detecting any discontinuities in motional freedom along a chain. The benefits and possible limitations of ultrahigh field NMR for studying triacylglycerols and related compounds are discussed.     

东江外来齐氏罗非鱼个体繁殖力初步研究

于2011年1月至2011年12月,逐月在东江采集齐氏罗非鱼样本, 研究其个体繁殖力。结果表明, 齐氏罗非鱼属于多次产卵类型, 在东江的繁殖期约为5月初到10月底。个体绝对繁殖力(F)在4913~13129粒之间, 平均为7991粒;一次产卵量(F_b)在1997~6369粒之间, 平均为4114粒;体长相对繁殖力(F_L)在49~83粒/mm之间, 平均为62粒/mm;体质量相对繁殖力(F_W)在66~154粒/g之间, 平均为98粒/g。个体绝对繁殖力及一次产卵量与体长(L)呈幂函数相关, 与体质量(W)及净体质量(W_n)呈线性相关。相关回归式分别为:F=2.186L^1.6886 ;F_b =0.7243L^1.7796;F=50.184W + 3627.3;F_b=25.008W + 1952.2;F=58.783 W_n + 3553.4, F_b=28.939 W_n +1942。     

环境和生物因子对黄河三角洲滨海湿地净生态系统CO2交换的影响

通过涡度相关和微气象观测技术,对黄河三角洲滨海湿地净生态系统CO₂交换(NEE)以及环境、生物因子进行了观测,探究湿地NEE变化规律及环境和生物因子对NEE的影响. 结果表明: 在日尺度上,生长季NEE呈明显“U”型曲线,非生长季变幅较小;在季节尺度上,NEE生长季波动较大,表现为碳汇,非生长季波动较小,表现为碳源;在年尺度上,滨海湿地生态系统表现为碳汇,总净固碳量为-247 g C·m^-2. 白天NEE主要受控于光合有效辐射(PAR),且生态系统表观量子产量(α)与白天生态系统呼吸(R_eco,d)均于8月达到最大值,最大光合速率(A_max)于7月达到最大值;夜间NEE随气温(T_a)呈指数增加趋势,生态系统的温度敏感系数(Q₁₀)为2.5,且土壤含水量(SWC)越高,Q₁₀值越大.非生长季NEE只与净辐射(R_n)呈显著的线性负相关,与其他环境因子无显著相关关系.生长季NEE与R_n、T_a、土壤10 cm温度(T_{s 10})等环境因子以及叶面积指数(LAI)呈显著的线性负相关,但与地上生物量(AGB)无显著相关关系.多元回归分析表明,R_n和LAI对生长季NEE的协同影响达到52%.     

环境和生物因子对黄河三角洲滨海湿地净生态系统CO2交换的影响

通过涡度相关和微气象观测技术,对黄河三角洲滨海湿地净生态系统CO₂交换(NEE)以及环境、生物因子进行了观测,探究湿地NEE变化规律及环境和生物因子对NEE的影响. 结果表明: 在日尺度上,生长季NEE呈明显“U”型曲线,非生长季变幅较小;在季节尺度上,NEE生长季波动较大,表现为碳汇,非生长季波动较小,表现为碳源;在年尺度上,滨海湿地生态系统表现为碳汇,总净固碳量为-247 g C·m^-2. 白天NEE主要受控于光合有效辐射(PAR),且生态系统表观量子产量(α)与白天生态系统呼吸(R_eco,d)均于8月达到最大值,最大光合速率(A_max)于7月达到最大值;夜间NEE随气温(T_a)呈指数增加趋势,生态系统的温度敏感系数(Q₁₀)为2.5,且土壤含水量(SWC)越高,Q₁₀值越大.非生长季NEE只与净辐射(R_n)呈显著的线性负相关,与其他环境因子无显著相关关系.生长季NEE与R_n、T_a、土壤10 cm温度(T_{s 10})等环境因子以及叶面积指数(LAI)呈显著的线性负相关,但与地上生物量(AGB)无显著相关关系.多元回归分析表明,R_n和LAI对生长季NEE的协同影响达到52%.     

Early age cold conditioning in broiler chickens (Gallus domesticus): thermotolerance and growth responses

The influence of short repetitive cold exposure at an early age (cold conditioning—exposure to 15°C for 3 h at 3 and 4 days of age) on chickens’ thermotolerance during cold challenge (15°C) at 21 days of age was examined. The first cold exposure elicited a dramatic decline in body temperature (T_b) and a significant elevation in stress response (plasma corticosterone concentration); the second cold exposure resulted in moderate T_b and stress responses. Thereafter, the corticosterone concentration remained at a significantly lower level. Acute cold challenge of conditioned broilers at 21 days of age revealed better T_b and stress recovery during the first 24 h, and a significantly lower mortality rate thereafter. Conditioned chickens exposed to optimal conditions (22°C) achieved significantly higher body weights than others. It may be concluded that early cold conditioning improves thermotolerance in broiler chickens in later life.     

A solid state NMR study of locust bean gum galactomannan and Konjac glucomannan gels

This paper describes a ¹³C solid state NMR study of hydrated powders and gels of locust bean gum galactomannan-LBG and Konjac glucomannan-KGM. Changes in relative spectral intensities, cross-polarization dynamics (T_CH, T_1ρH) and relaxation times (T_1C, T_1H, T_2H) show that hydration (0–90%) of LBG powders increases the 10⁸ Hz frequency molecular motions, probably reflecting the enhanced motion of non-aggregating segments and chain ends. Slower motions (10⁴–10⁵ Hz) are enhanced only slightly at 90% hydration. LBG gel shows higher spatial distinction between aggregated and non-aggregated segments than the hydrated powder and relaxation times indicate higher mobility for galactose-ramified segments, compared to linear mannose segments. While the dynamics of KGM hydration is similar to that of LBG, i.e. mainly affecting fast 10⁸ Hz motions, the gel is significantly more rigid. Both spectra and relaxation times show that glucose residues in KGM gel are particularly hindered, probably due to their preferential involvement in chain aggregation.     

The swelling behavior and network parameters of guar gum/poly(acrylic acid) semi-interpenetrating polymer network hydrogels

Guar gum/poly(acrylic acid) semi-interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels have been prepared via free radical polymerization in the presence of a crosslinker of N,N′-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA). The kinetics of swelling and the water transport mechanism were studied as a function of the composition of the hydrogels and the pH of the swelling medium. Hydrogels showed enormous swelling in aqueous medium and displayed swelling characteristics, which were highly dependent on the chemical composition of the hydrogels and pH of the medium in which hydrogels were immersed (ionic strength I = 0.15 mol/L). The semi-INP hydrogels were characterized by evaluating various network parameters such as average molecular weight between crosslinks (M_c) crosslink density (ρ) and mesh size ξ.     

Gelation of xanthan with trivalent metal ions

In-situ gelation of semidilute xanthan solutions with trivalent chromium, aluminum or iron ions was studied by rheology and UV-spectroscopy. Measurements of the elastic modulus of xanthan gel cylinders prepared by dialysis against the complexing ion at pH values from 2 to 6 indicate that monomeric species of the ion are ineffective, whereas dimeric or higher oligomeric species are effective in crosslinking the polysaccharide. When chromium was used as the crosslinking species, the dependence of the gelation rate on the ionic concentration followed a power law with a coefficient of 1·7. The gelation time and the gelation rate were found to extrapolate to zero at 1 m Cr for 2·5 mg/ml xanthan. The limiting concentration of xanthan needed for gelation with 5 m Cr(III) at 20°C was estimated as 0·35 mg/ml. This critical xanthan concentration is close to the overlap concentration c^* estimated from the experimentally determined intrinsic viscosity [η] using c^* = 1·4/[η]. An apparent activation energy for crosslinking of xanthan was calculated as E_a = 42 kJ/mol and E_a = 108 kJ/mol for Cr and Al ions, respectively. The fractal dimensionality of xanthan-Cr at the sol-gel transition was estimated as 1·3 applying the Chambon-Winter criterion for gelation, thus indicating that this gelation criterion is applicable also to stiff-chain polysaccharides such as xanthan.     

体育专业大学生指长比及其波动性不对称的特征

为探讨体育专业大学生指长比及其波动性不对称的特征,进而为体质人类学和优秀运动员身体形态特征的研究积累基础资料,本研究特招募374名18~25岁发育正常的汉族在校大学生为研究对象,按照专业和性别分为男生体育组（n=60）、男生普系组（n=143）、女生体育组（n=61）和女生普系组（n=110）,计算各个指长比及两侧指长比的波动不对称值并进行检验。结果显示男生体育组与男生普系组之间的指长比（R）存在统计学差异（P<0.05）,差异主要表现在R_2/5、R_3/5和R_4/5上,而女生体育组与女生普系组之间的指长比不存在统计学差异（P>0.05）。结果还显示男生体育组与男生普系组之间的偏差(σ)存在统计学差异（P<0.05）,差异主要表现在σ_2/3和σ_2/3上。而女生的指长比偏差在体育组与普系组之间不存在统计学差异（P>0.05）。通过分析讨论提示出大学生指长比及指长比偏差与性别和运动能力有关,R_3/5及σ_3/5可能与早期生长发育过程中的性激素的暴露水平有关,而且有望成为运动员选材的新生物标记。     

Conductance and relaxations of gelatin films in glassy and rubbery states

The dielectric constant, ′, and the dielectric loss, ″, for gelatin films were measured in the glassy and rubbery states over a frequency range from 20 Hz to 10 MHz; ′ and ″ were transformed into M* formalism (M*=1/(′−i″)=M′+iM″; i, the imaginary unit). The peak of ″ was masked probably due to dc conduction, but the peak of M″, e.g. the conductivity relaxation, for the gelatin used was observed. By fitting the M″ data to the Havriliak–Negami type equation, the relaxation time, τ_HN, was evaluated. The value of the activation energy, E_τ, evaluated from an Arrhenius plot of 1/τ_HN, agreed well with that of E_σ evaluated from the DC conductivity σ₀ both in the glassy and rubbery states, indicating that the conductivity relaxation observed for the gelatin films was ascribed to ionic conduction. The value of the activation energy in the glassy state was larger than that in the rubbery state.     

An RNA foldability metric; implications for the design of rapidly foldable RNA sequences

Evidence is presented suggesting, for the first time, that the protein foldability metric σ = (T_θ − T_f) / T_θ, where T_θ and T_f are, respectively, the collapse and folding transition temperatures, could be used also to measure the foldability of RNA sequences. These results provide further evidence of similarities between the folding energy landscapes of proteins and RNA. The importance of σ is discussed in the context of the in silico design of rapidly foldable RNA sequences.