Towards an understanding of marine fouling effects on the vortex-induced vibrations of circular cylinders: partial coverage issue

The results of in-water vortex-induced vibration (VIV) experiments on circular cylinders artificially covered with barnacles are reported. The paper focusses on the effects of the partial coverage and the shape of the fouling elements. An artificial barnacle typical of marine fouling was synthesised using 3-D printing. Coverage ratios of 80, 50 and 30% were examined and the results compared with those from a smooth cylinder. The Reynolds number ranged from 5.8 × 10³ to 6.6 × 10⁴. The experimental results show that the fouling reduced the peak VIV amplitude, narrowed the synchronisation region and lowered the hydrodynamic force coefficients such as the coefficients of lift force RMS, the mean drag force and the fluctuating drag force RMS. The shape of the artificial barnacles had little effect on the maximum oscillation amplitude. The coverage ratio appeared to have a lower impact on the lift force than those on the amplitude and the frequency responses.     

1982-2015年黄土高原NDVI时空演变及其对气候变化的季节响应

基于GIMMS NDVI、温度和降水数据,利用集合经验模态分解(EEMD)、线性回归分析、偏相关分析等方法分析了1982-2015年黄土高原植被覆盖时空变化及其对气候变化的季节响应。结果表明:年际变化趋势上,1982-2015年黄土高原生长季、春、夏、秋季NDVI均呈显著增长趋势,且各个季节NDVI增加速率逐年升高,尤其以夏季增加速率的变化最为明显;空间上,生长季、春、夏、秋季NDVI均呈由西北向东南递增的趋势,且在大部分地区呈显著上升趋势;线性回归表明,生长季、春、夏、秋季温度均呈显著上升趋势;生长季、秋季降水呈增加趋势,春、夏季降水呈减少趋势。EEMD分析进一步表明,生长季、春、夏、秋季温度均先升高后降低,降水均呈先减少后增加的趋势;空间变化趋势上,温度在生长季、春、夏、秋季大部分地区呈显著上升趋势,降水仅秋季有部分区域呈显著上升趋势;NDVI与温度在黄土高原东北部及西南部地区呈显著正相关,与降水在黄土高原北部及西北部地区呈显著正相关。     

Shrub effects on germinable soil seed bank in overgrazed rangelands

ABSTRACT

Background

Little information is available about the effects of different species of shrubs on the composition of the soil seed bank (SSB) and how the SSB could contribute to restoration of degraded grasslands.     

A novel approach to evaluate ELISA antibody coverage of host cell proteins—combining ELISA-based immunocapture and mass spectrometry

Monitoring host cell proteins (HCPs) is one of the most important analytical requirements in production of recombinant biopharmaceuticals to ensure product purity and patient safety. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the standard method for monitoring HCP clearance. It is important to validate that the critical reagent of an ELISA, the HCP antibody, covers a broad spectrum of the HCPs potentially present in the purified drug substance. Current coverage methods for assessing HCP antibody coverage are based on 2D-Western blot or immunoaffinity-purification combined with 2D gel electrophoresis and have several limitations. In the present study, we present a novel coverage method combining ELISA-based immunocapture with protein identification by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS): ELISA-MS. ELISA-MS is used to accurately determine HCP coverage of an early process sample by three commercially available anti-Escherichia coli HCP antibodies, evading the limitations of current methods for coverage analysis, and taking advantage of the benefits of MS analysis. The results obtained comprise a list of individual HCPs covered by each HCP antibody. The novel method shows high sensitivity, high reproducibility, and enables tight control of nonspecific binding through inclusion of a species-specific isotype control antibody. We propose that ELISA-MS will be a valuable supplement to existing coverage methods or even a replacement. ELISA-MS will increase the possibility of selecting the best HCP ELISA, thus improving HCP surveillance and resulting in a final HCP profile with the lowest achievable risk. Overall, this will be beneficial to both the pharmaceutical industry and patient safety.     

北京市域乡村人居林树冠覆盖及其区域差异分析

乡村人居林建设是落实新农村建设、实施乡村振兴战略和振兴农村生态文明的重要举措。以北京市为对象，基于北京市域2017年0.5m分辨率航空影像与2017年1：10万土地利用（LUCC）图等基础资源，在全市范围内随机选择260个行政村，从研究区域内乡村人居林树冠覆盖率、功能类型、斑块等级和景观格局特征四个层面展开区域差异特征分析。研究结果显示，北京市整体乡村人居林树冠覆盖率为18.32%，其中平原区和山区分别为18.40%和17.83%。在平原区范围内，乡村人居林树冠覆盖率呈近郊区（21.70%） > 远郊区（13.87%） > 延庆盆地区域（16.34%）；在山区内部，乡村人居林树冠覆盖率呈现低山区（24.45%） > 浅山区（16.55%） > 深山区（12.41%），太行山区（20.98%） > 燕山区（14.11%）。在乡村人居林功能类型分布中，片林为各分区最主要类型，在平原区和山区中分别占比55.75%和57.15%。在斑块等级结构方面，乡村人居林斑块总体呈现小而分散的特点，其中小斑块数目在区域中占比达93.03%，而各等级斑块在规模大小方面呈现"平分秋色"的特点。就景观格局指数特点而言，平原区内近郊区，山区内的深山区和燕山区乡村人居林斑块复杂程度、受人为干扰强度和多样性更高。综上特征，究其动因，农村居民点聚落规模、集聚形式和建设类型以及森林资源本底是影响乡村人居林建设条件的重要原因。     

Systemic fungal infections: A pharmacist/researcher perspective

Systemic fungal infections are increasing in prevalence, especially in immunocompromised patients and post-surgical patients. The rise in systemic fungal infections has resulted in increased utilization of antifungal agents which, in turn, has contributed to escalating resistance rates as seen by the increasing number of fungal pathogens added to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Antimicrobial Resistance Threats Report in 2019. Unfortunately, there are few novel antifungal agents coming to market to combat these ever-increasing resistance rates. In this review, we cover the current climate of antifungal agents and explore agents coming through the pipeline and potentially to market. We also discuss the indicated uses for empiric and targeted antifungal therapies as well as the need to include antifungal agents as a part of antimicrobial stewardship programs that focus heavily on antibacterial agents.     

Some observations of phenology and ecophysiology ofDaphne kamtschatica Maxim.var.jezoensis (Maxim.) Ohwi, a shade deciduous shrub, in the forest of northern Japan

The phenology and leaf traits ofDaphne kamtschatica Maxim. var.jezoensis (Maxim.) Ohwi, the only summer deciduous shrub (20–40 cm) in the temperate forest of northern Japan, are examined. This plant carries through the winter mature leaves and well formed flower buds. It flowers in early spring during snowmelt and begins photosynthesis under relatively high irradiance under an open forest canopy. Our results show that there is significant carbon gain during the period when new leaves and fruit maturation also take place. Beginning in June, as the forest canopy closes, leaves onDaphne shoots senesce acropetally and the plants become completely bare in mid-July. After a period of 20-day dormancy, the shoots begin to resprout. Leaves become mature in early October and remain on the stem over winter. Leaf traits and photosynthesis measurements suggest as follows. 1) By becoming summer deciduous,D. kamtschatica avoids the cost of maintaining leaves inefficient under deep shade. 2) The onset and breaking of the summer dormancy is triggered by photoperiod since plants at the forest edge also become dormant even when light remained relatively high. However, the decreased duration of dormancy with higher light levels suggests that there is a tendency towards shorter dormancy where summer shade is absent and this could eventually lead to an evergreen habit such as that found in the alpine speciesDaphne miyabeana.     

生态修复前后祁连山地区植被覆盖变化

祁连山是我国重要的生态屏障，定量评估气候变化和人类活动对植被变化的影响对祁连山生态保护和修复具有重要意义。以祁连山地区为研究区，分析1986—2020年植被覆盖时空动态变化，计算气候变化及人类活动对植被覆盖变化的贡献率，进而评估生态修复工程对于植被覆盖变化的影响程度。结果表明：(1)1986—2020年间祁连山地区植被覆盖度呈现显著增加趋势，变化趋势为0.022/10a;中高覆盖度主要分布在东南地区，西北地区仍然是以低覆盖度为主，且1999年的退耕还林还草工程施行后，中低覆盖度向中高覆盖度方向转化。(2)祁连山地区植被覆盖变化是气候因素和人类活动共同作用的结果。气候因素对植被覆盖的贡献率为93.40%,人类活动贡献率为6.60%,气候因素是祁连山区植被变化的主导因素，但人类活动在植被变化中的影响程度逐年增加。祁连山地区植被覆盖呈转好趋势，这主要是因为退耕还林还草等生态工程极大地改善了祁连山地区的植被覆盖状况，为后续植被的恢复和生态系统的稳定奠定了良好的基础。