Demersal fish resources in the east china and yellow seas

Demersal fish resources in the East China and Yellow Seas were reviewed. A current and historical survey of the fishery was made. The distribution and migration of demersal fish were characterized, and an assessment of fishery resources was provided. The standardization of fishing efforts and resources management were also examined.     

The role of founder effects on the evolution of reproductive isolation

Several theories argue that large changes in allele frequencies through genetic drift after a small founding population becomes allopatrically isolated can lead to significant changes in reproductive isolation and thus trigger the origin of new species. For this reason, founder speciation has been proposed as a potent force in the generation of new species. Nonetheless, the relative importance of such ‘founder effects’ remains largely untested. In this report, I used experimental evolution to create one thousand replicates that underwent an extreme bottleneck and to study whether founder effects can lead to an increase in reproductive isolation in Drosophila yakuba. Even though the most common outcome of inbreeding is extinction, founder effects can lead to increased premating reproductive isolation in a very small proportion of cases. Changes in reproductive isolation after a founding population bottleneck are similar to changes in other phenotypic traits, in which inbreeding might displace the mean phenotypic value and substantially increase the phenotypic variance. This increase in phenotypic variance does not confer an increase in the response to selection for reproductive isolation in artificial selection experiments, indicating that the increased phenotypic variance is not caused by increases in additive genetic variance. These results also demonstrate that, similar to morphological and life‐history traits, behavioural traits can be affected by inbreeding and genetic drift.     

Analysis of tendinous actuation in balancing the maximal fingertip force for normal and abnormal forefinger system

This work displayed the force capabilities of the musculoskeletal system of the forefinger under external loading. Different states of normal and pathological fingers are studied. We evaluated the impact of losing musculo-tendon unit strength capacities in terms of maximal output fingertip force and tendon tensions distribution. A biomechanical model for a static force analysis is developed through anatomical and kinematic studies. An optimisation approach is then used to determine tendon tension distribution when performing an isometric task. Furthermore, pathological fingers with common cases of injured flexors and extensors are analysed. The method of simulation for forefinger abnormities is described. Furthermore, the simulation results are interpreted.     

Modelling the Brain for Rotational Loading: Shear Effects and Other Complications

Abstract

This study considers modelling the brain due to rotation of the skull where, at lower frequencies, the shear property of the material is important. Investigations reported here cover the effect of elastic and viscoelastic (lossy) cerebral material, the effect of the Falx protruding into the brain, the gap around the Falx and the brain filled with non viscous fluid in addition to different models of the Falx with bending or membrane stiffness. Analytical benchmark formulations are also described for the simple 2D plane strain in a cylinder produced by a half-sine rotation on the outer periphery which allows numerical (Finite Element) models to be validated. The results show the importance of the material properties, duration of loading and amplitude of loading as well as the influence of the partition. The results are shown for predicted maximum Principal strains in the models, as this may well be indicative of whether damage of the brain tissue occurs.     

Integration of geometric separation mechanisms by implementing curved constrictions in a biochip microchannel fluidic separator

This paper investigates the effectiveness of using curved constrictions in the bifurcation region of T-type fluid separators for promoting flow development in the intervals between bifurcations. A design of biofluid separator is proposed and a mathematical analysis and a numerical simulation of the blood flow in microchannels are conducted. The design is based on a modification of an existing T-shaped biochip device which consists of a main channel and a series of perpendicularly positioned side channels. By means of bifurcation effect, the blood is separated into plasma concentration flow from the side channels and blood cell concentration flow from the main channel. In this design, curved constrictions are inserted between bifurcations to replace the original straight channel section, so that the constriction and curved channel effects can be induced apart from the existing bifurcation effect. The mathematical analysis is aimed to the flow field and shear stress of the blood fluid in the microchannel geometries employed in the current design, including bifurcation, constriction and curved channel. The numerical simulation and mathematical analysis result in agreed conclusions, giving some insights into the importance of the relevant geometries in promoting biofluid separation. The main results can be summarised as follows: (i) the constrictions can largely increase the shear stress by the ratio of square of the reduction of the sections between the constriction and parent main channel. (ii) The curved channel intervals can induce centrifugal force, smoothly transit the flow field and increase the chances depleting fluid from the cell-free layer. (iii) The thickness of the boundary layer skimmed into the side channels from the main channel is decreased in this design and can be controlled, falling into the cell-free layer region by adjusting the geometry of the side channels.     

Night,sight, and feeling safe: An exploration of aspects of Warlpiri and Western sleep

Sleeping leaves those asleep ‘blind’ and hence oblivious to potential or real danger. Such dangers are heightened further and more feared at night, the main time for sleep. In this article, I link ideas about sleep and nighttime social practices with questions about vision. My aim is to tease out some of the meanings implied in cross‐culturally distinct solutions to the protection of sleepers at night. I proceed by contrasting ethnographic data from the remote Aboriginal settlement of Yuendumu, Northern Territory, with select elements of the cultural history of Euro‐American sleep. Through ethnographic vignettes, I illuminate how people at Yuendumu commonly arrange themselves in yunta, or rows of sleepers, at night, and how some sleepers awake regularly during the night to ensure the others’ safety. I contrast this with Euro‐American ways of providing a sense of safety to the sleeper through practices of domestic fortification. My comparison revolves around the notion of sight, which in the Euro‐American West is clearly linked to ideas of knowledge, and at Yuendumu, as I demonstrate, imbued with a sense of care. I conclude by relating the gained insights to participant observation as anthropological method.     

Automatic individual calibration in fall detection – an integrative ambulatory measurement framework

The objective of the current study was to demonstrate the utility of a new integrative ambulatory measurement (IAM) framework by developing and evaluating an individual calibration function in fall detection application. Ten healthy elderly persons were involved in a laboratory study and tested in a protocol comprising various types of activities of daily living and slip-induced backward falls. Inertial measurement units attached to the trunk and thigh segments were used to measure trunk angular kinematics and thigh accelerations. The effect of individual calibration was evaluated with previously developed fall detection algorithm. The results indicated that with individual calibration, the fall detection performance achieved approximately the same level of sensitivity (100% vs. 100%) and specificity (95.25% vs. 95.65%); however, response time was significantly lower than without (249 ms vs. 255 ms). It was concluded that the automatic individual calibration using the IAM framework improves the performance of fall detection, which has a greater implication in preventing/minimising injuries associated with fall accidents.     

The influence of implant number and abutment design on the biomechanical behaviour of bone for an implant-supported fixed prosthesis: a finite element study in the upper anterior region

It is always recommended to use more implants for supporting a prosthesis in the immediate loading condition than in the classical two-stage treatment procedure. By means of the finite element (FE) method, the influence of the number of implants used in immediately loaded fixed partial prosthesis (FPP) on the load distribution was investigated, considering the abutment geometry. Two 3D FE models were studied employing four implants to support a FPP in the premaxilla. One model was designed with straight abutments and the other with 20°-angled abutments. The results concerning implant displacements, stresses and strains were compared with those of two implant-supported FPPs, obtained in a previous study. A noticeable reduction in the determined biomechanical bone loading was observed with the use of more implants in supporting an immediately loaded prosthesis. This study confirms that the use of additional numbers of implants in an immediately loaded prosthesis is highly recommended.     

Chinese plasma-derived products supply under the lot release management system in 2007–2011

In 2007, the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) implemented a management system for lot release of all plasma-derived products. Since then, there have been only a few systematic studies of the blood supply, which is a concern when considering the small amount of plasma collected per capita (approximately 3 L/1000 people). As a result, there may be a threat to the safety of the available blood supply. In this study, we examined the characteristics of the supply of Chinese plasma-derived products. We investigated the reports of lot-released biological products derived from all 8 national or regional regulatory authorities in China from 2007 to 2011. The market supply characteristics of Chinese plasma-derived products were analyzed by reviewing the changes in supply varieties, the batches of lot-released plasma-derived products and the actual supply. As a result, the national regulatory authorities can more accurately develop a specific understanding of the production and quality management information provided by Chinese plasma product manufacturers. The implementation of the lot release system further ensures the clinical validity of the plasma-derived products in China and improves the safety of using plasma-derived products. This work provides an assessment of the future Chinese market supply of plasma-derived products and can function as a theoretical basis for the establishment of hemovigilance.