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The fibers reinforced thin architectural ceramic plate of 900 mm×1800 mm×2.5 mm with high mechanical property was prepared by a fast-sintering method with a controllable fiber dispersion process. The effects of ball-milling time to the dispersity, average length-diameter ratio and microstructure of alumina fibers were investigated respectively. Meanwhile, the alumina fiber contents to the volume density, water absorption, phase transformation and microstructure of the thin ceramic plate were researched. It is found that the two-steps ball-milling process can control the average length-diameter ratio of the alumina fibers effectively and achieve a well dispersion mixture of fibers and ceramic powders, the fast-sintering method is beneficial for the protection of fiber/matrix interface. The trend of the volume density and bending strength increases with the fiber content from 0 wt% to 5 wt% and then decreases with the fiber content from 5 wt% to 15 wt%. The bending strength of this composite reaches the maximum value of 146.8 MPa with the fiber content is 5 wt%, which is corresponding to the strengthening of alumina fibers and the formation of mullite crystallization in fiber/matrix interface and matrix during the fast-sintering process.

To investigate the effects of embryo abortion on fruit size and weight, fruit quality, chlorophyll, carotenoid, anthocyanin, flavonoid, and total polyphenols, the seeded fruit of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cultivar 'Guifei' were compared at the ripe stage. Seedless fruit had significantly smaller fruit size and lower fruit weight than seeded fruit in the cultivar. The experimental results suggested that embryo abortion at early stages of fruit ripening did not affect the concentration of total polyphenols in the pulp of matured fruit at green color or yellow color stages. However, the chlorophyll level decreased with ripening, lower in the abortion mango than in the normal mango. Carotenoid content increased throughout yellow stage and was significantly higher in the normal fruit compared to the abortion fruit. The concentrations of flavonoid were lower in the abortion fruit compared with normal fruit in the same color fruit. The expression of PSY and PDS was increased from green to yellow in abortion and normal mango. Expression of ANS and DFR was higher in the green color mango, in different development stages, and lower at the abortion stage in the yellow mango.

Given the low price and relatively high transition temperature (39 K) of MgB2 conductor, MgB2-based superconductors are a potential candidate for the lower field fusion coils, such as poloidal field (PF) coils, correction coils and feeders. However, to date, the application of MgB2 is limited to demonstrators in a low magnetic field of up to 5 T and at temperatures of up to 10 to 20 K, relying on cryogen-free, helium gas or liquid hydrogen cooling, which significantly reduce the cost of cryogenic systems. To demonstrate the feasibility and performance verification of large size MgB2 PF conductors based on ITER and CFETR requirements, a 4th-stage subsize MgB2 cable-in-conduit conductor (CICC) cable sample is made at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The CICC contains 96 in situ MgB2 superconducting wires, manufactured by Western Superconducting Technology Ltd. and 48 copper wires. The critical current of the sub-size cables and MgB2 witness wires are examined with different background magnetic fields at 4.2 K. In addition, the AC loss is measured utilizing magnetization and calorimetric methods. To further clarify the influence of electromagnetic force on the AC loss performance, the cable sample is pressed transversely at room temperature and then inserted into a dipole magnet for AC loss measurement at 4.2 K. The critical current at 4.2 K of the subsize MgB2 CICC cable shows 20% degradation compared to the witness wires at 2 T background magnetic field. However, no further critical current degradation is visible during ramping up and down the magnetic field. The coupling loss time constant for 1 T background magnetic field amounts to 480 ms. No significant effect of the applied transverse stress on the coupling loss is observed between 0 and 10 MPa.

Juvenile mirror carp were fed with five different diets containing 303, 322, 341, 361 and 379 g kg−1 protein and reared at three different water temperatures (18, 23 and 28 °C) for 60 days. We investigated the insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) mRNA expression, growth performance and the relationship between IGF-I mRNA expression and the growth performance. The results indicated that the IGF-I mRNA expression, final body weight, specific growth rate (SGR) and feed efficiency (FE) were enhanced significantly with increasing dietary protein levels (P

An accurate stress-strain relationship is needed for use in the advanced numerical modelling of cold-formed light-gauge steel members covering a wide range of strains. Existing stress-strain models for carbon steels are either capable of accurate predictions over a limited strain range or defined using many material parameters for a full range of strains. The values of some material parameters are not always available in existing design codes. This paper presents two stress-strain models for light-gauge carbon steels, which are capable of accurate predictions over the full range of tensile strains up to the strain at the ultimate stress. Both stress-strain models are solely defined using either three basic Ramberg-Osgood parameters ( E0, σ0.2, and n) or even two basic parameters ( E0, and σ0.2), and are based on a careful interpretation of existing experimental data of virgin materials and materials from flat portions of cold-formed steel sections. The accuracy of these two proposed models is demonstrated by comparing their predictions with experimental stress-strain curves.

Advanced numerical modeling for cold-formed light gauge steel structures, from manufacturing to the structural response under the applied loading, requires the knowledge of the stress-strain behavior of the material over the full range of tensile strains. Existing stress-strain models for carbon steels are either only capable of accurate predictions over a limited strain range or defined by many material parameters and the values of some material parameters are not available in most of existing design codes. Therefore, a new stress-strain relationship for light gauge carbon steels up to the ultimate strength is required for the advanced numerical modeling and needs to be modeled on the basis of three basic material parameters, the so-called Ramberg-Osgood parameters (the 0.2% proof stress σ 0.2 , the initial elastic modulus 0 E and the strain-hardening exponent η). This paper presents such new stress-strain models for light gauge carbon steels, which are able to describe the stress-strain relationship over the full range of tensile strains by using only three basic Ramberg-Osgood parameters. In the present study, the stress-strain data obtained from tensile coupon tests reported in existing literatures have been collected and analyzed, and these tested coupons were cut from both virgin steel sheets and cold-formed steel sections. The new models have been developed by a careful interpretation of these existing experimental data. The accuracy of the proposed models has been demonstrated by comparing their predictions with experimental stress-strain curves.

It is important for researchers developing dyeing technology to improve the dyeing techniques of polyester micro fiber fabrics in terms of the time efficiency. The empirical observations have led to the deploying of the O-type dual-nozzle flow dyeing machine developed by Asia Kingdom Machinery Industry Co., Ltd. to serve such purpose. The economic advantages include reducing the liquid ratio to 1:8 and reducing the water volume required by 20∼40%. The electricity required by 48∼80% less compared to conventional upward or downward type dyeing machines. Therefore the CO2 production is decreased by 60%, demonstrating energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. The nozzle pressure of a single nozzle machine is 1.6∼3.0 kg/cm2, whereas by adjusting the flux passing front and back nozzles, the dual nozzle pressure is maintained in the range of 0.2∼1.6 kg/cm2. The reduced pressure decreases the frequency of yarn hairness occurrence, thus improving the dyeing quality. The low liquid ratio results in dye exchange increase by 1.3∼1.66 fold, significantly increasing the uniformity. Despite 40 times fewer contacts between the nozzle and the fabrics (total 244 times) compared to conventional machines, similar results were observed.

Three-dimensional vortical structures have been measured in a circular-cylinder wake using particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) for the Reynolds number range of 2×103 to 1×104. The PIV was modified, compared with the conventional one, in terms of its light sheet arrangement to capture reliably streamwise vortices. While in agreement with previous reports, the presently measured spanwise structures complement the data in the literature in the streamwise evolution of the near-wake spanwise vortex in size, strength, streamwise and lateral convection velocities, shedding new light upon vigorous interactions between oppositely signed spanwise structures. The longitudinal vortices display mushroom patterns in the (x, z)-plane in the immediate proximity to the cylinder. Their most likely inclination in the (x, y)-plane is inferred from the measurements in different (x, z)-planes. The longitudinal vortices in the (y, z)-plane show alternate change in sign, though not discernible at x/d > 15. They decay in the maximum vorticity and circulation rapidly from x/d = 5 to 10 and slowly for x/d > 10, and are further compared with the spanwise vortices in size, strength and rate of decay.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of dietary fish oil inclusion on the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) contents and organoleptic characteristics of breast meat in mule ducks. Three hundred mule ducks at four weeks of age were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments with five replicate pens in each. One replicate pen had ten males and females each with a total of 100 ducks in each treatment. The diet in the three treatments contained 0, 1.5, and 3.0% fish oil, respectively. Body weights at 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks of age, and feed efficiency at 4 to 6, 6 to 8, and 8 to 10 weeks of age were recorded. At 10 weeks of age, one male and one female from each replicate were sacrificed for oxidative stability of breast meat and the sacrificed males were employed for the analysis of fatty acids in breast meat and skin. Sensory evaluation of breast meat was also performed. A level of 3.0% fish oil in the diet significantly deteriorated feed efficiency and body weight gain. Dietary fish oil inclusion had a trend of increasing abdominal fat deposition and decreasing the flavor of breast meat. The EPA and DHA contents in the breast meat were higher than those in the breast skin irrespective of oil sources. The EPA and DHA contents in breast meat and breast skin was significantly increased in the 3.0% fish oil group. Although EPA and DHA were not efficiently deposited in the duck meat through dietary fish oil inclusion, this method can still provide a partial supplementation of EPA and DHA.

The behavior of two-dimensional (2D) and line jets in a weak cross-flow are studied in the laboratory. A laser-induced fluorescence system is employed to visualize the flows and provide quantitative information about their behavior. This information includes data for the mean properties, such as jet dilution, spread and trajectory, and turbulent properties, such as root-mean-square and intermittency of tracer concentration fluctuations. A predictive model is developed for 2D weakly advectedjets, where it is assumed that the flow behavior is similar to that of a jet in a still ambient fluid. Comparisons between the experimental data and model predictions show the location of the transition from weakly advected to strongly adverted behavior. In the weakly advected region, the spread of the jet is significantly larger than that of a jet in a still ambient fluid. Although there appears to be a weak dependence on the strength of the ambient current, a significant increase in spread rate is evident at initial v...

A survey was done in 15 typical villages, 150 soil and 86 vegetable plant samples were taken in Jiaxin prefecture of the Taihu Lake region, northern Zhejian province. Results indicate that after 15–20 years land use changed from the paddy rice–wheat (or oilseed rape) double cropping system, to a continuous vegetable land has caused soil quality dramatic change. (1) Acidification: average soil pH was 5.4; about 61% of total samples were pH < 5.5. It was 0.9 units lower than 10 years ago with same upland vegetable cultivation and was 1.2 units lower than soil pH of paddy rice–wheat (or oilseed rape) rotation. (2) Fertilizer salt accumulation: the average salt content was 0.28%, among these about 36.2% of the total samples contained more than 0.3%. (3) Nitrate N and available phosphorus (P) over accumulation: on average it was 279 mg NO3-N/kg, and 45–115 mg P/kg. Nitrate N four times higher and available P 4–10 times more than it is in present paddy rice–wheat rotation soils respectively. This has caused wide concern because of possible groundwater and well drinking water pollution by leached nitrate N and the P losses to water by runoff from vegetable lands induce surface water eutrophication.

The characteristic of load voltage and zero line voltage is studied when the zero line disconnection occurs in three-phase distribution system. The theoretical analysis show that: zero- sequence voltage is appeared at the neutral point when the zero line disconnection occurs, and the size of zero-sequence voltage is relation to the load unbalance. The greater the load unbalance is, the greater the zero-sequence voltage. Based on this characteristic, a new methods to detect zero line disconnection is presented based on zero sequence voltage with zero line current blocking, an example prove that the method is feasible.

One species of shrimp and sixteen species of brachyuran crabs are parasitized by rhizocephalans in Taiwanese waters. Ten of the crabs have never before been recorded as hosts of rhizocephalans. Eight species of rhizocephalans occur in Taiwan. Four species, Diplothylacus taiwanensis, D. calappae, Sacculina scutigera and S. docleae are new to science. The paper records the first example of simultaneous infection of the same host individual by two rhizocephalan species, and provides further evidence of successive moulting of the external mantle cuticle in several species of sacculinids.

The use of simple sequence repeats (SSRs), or microsatellites, as genetic markers has become popular due to their abundance and variation in length among individuals. In this study, we investigated linkage groups (LGs) in the woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) and demonstrated variation in the abundances, densities, and relative densities of mononucleotide, dinucleotide, and trinucleotide repeats. Mononucleotide, dinucleotide, and trinucleotide repeats were more common than longer repeats in all LGs examined. Perfect SSRs were the predominant SSR type found and their abundance was extremely stable among LGs and chloroplasts. Abundances of mononucleotide, dinucleotide, and trinucleotide repeats were positively correlated with LG size, whereas those of tetranucleotide and hexanucleotide SSRs were not. Generally, in each LG, the abundance, relative abundance, relative density, and the proportion of each unique SSR all declined rapidly as the repeated unit increased. Furthermore, the lengths and frequencies of SSRs varied among different LGs.

International audience; Waterfowl production has been on an upward trend and has become increasingly important around the world over time. The production of ducks worldwide in 2010 was 6-fold greater that of 1961, and that of geese was 9.8-fold over the same period. The progress in waterfowl production represents not only an increase in the quantity of the product, but also in quality. Waterfowl performance progress, genetics and breeding, reproduction, nutrition, management and housing, and product quality and utilisation are discussed in this article, alongside a review of the history of the Waterfowl Working Group (WWG) which was established in 1969 as Working Group 8 under the European Federation (EF). After moving to the Asian Pacific Federation (APF) in 2011, it became Working Group 2.

The duck egg has become increasingly more important in the world because of its nutrition and less capital input is required to produce it. This chapter discusses duck egg production, duck breeds, and productive styles in the world. A comparison of duck eggshell, egg white, and egg yolk composition between different avian species is given. Duck products include the salted egg, pidan (peedan, century egg, thousand-year egg, alkalized egg), balut (embryonic egg), ω-3 fatty acids-enriched egg, and yolk pigment-enhanced egg. Last, we discuss the factors affecting the quality of duck eggs and products.

The toggle cell of MRAM needs large current for writing. In this work, the negative pulse scheme for toggle writing is proposed, and the implemented architecture is also described. The scheme can reduce the writing current and improve the toggle yield. A single current source scheme is also designed to provide the symmetrical and bi-directional current.

A survey was done recently in Jiaxing city of Zhejiang Province in the Yangtze River Delta to compare the differences of soil microbiological properties among paddy soils with different land use including continuous open-field vegetable cultivation (OFVC), plastic-greenhouse vegetable cultivation (PGVC) and traditional rice–wheat rotation (RWR). The soil types included are percolating, permeable and waterlogged paddy soils. The results indicate that the microbial flora was markedly changed as the land use changed for all the three soil types. In continuous vegetable cultivation soils, especially in PGVC soils, the bacteria amounts decreased dramatically, but the fungal and actinomyce amounts increased as compared with RWR soils. The dehydrogenase activities decreased significantly in vegetable soils, especially in PGVC soils as compared with RWR soils. The microbial biomass C and the total phospholipid contents (TPL) in vegetable cultivation soil greatly decreased as compared with RWR soils. Biolog analysis indicated that the kinds of carbon sources that could be metabolized by native microbes in PGVC soils greatly decreased as compared with OFVC soils and RWR soils, revealing that microbial diversity had decreased since land use change. The activities of some soil enzymes including urease, invertase and phosphase were all lower in OFVC soils than those in RWR soils, and those in PGVC soils were the lowest. The degradation of microbiological activities in continuous vegetable cultivation soils, especially in PGVC soils, as compared with RWR soils might have been caused by soil acidification and accumulation of salts due to overuse of both organic and inorganic fertilizers in vegetable cultivation.

This paper presents the design of tie line tripping and load shedding for a large customer system with multiple cogeneration units. The mathematical models with the corresponding parameters of cogenerators, governors, exciters and the equivalent generation unit to represent the external utility power system have been identified. The critical clearing time has been solved by performing the transient stability analysis for the tie line tripping of the industrial power system under various contingencies of the utility network. To enhance the system stability, the protective scheme by including the directional over current relay, under voltage relay and under frequency relay with proper settings has been applied. By this manner, the industrial power system is able to be isolated from the utility system in time to prevent the collapse of the industrial power system and the cogeneration units. To restore the system frequency to the normal operation condition, the load shedding is considered by both frequency deviation and frequency change rate for each load shedding step. The computer simulation of the industrial power system has verified the effectiveness of the proposed protective strategy.

This paper presents the enhancement of power system stability for a large industrial customer when a new cogeneration unit with 40 MW capacity has been added to the system. The proper settings of protective relays have been designed according to the transient stability analysis. For the severe nearby fault, the under frequency relay are applied for the isolation of the industrial power system and for the load shedding so that the tripping of the regeneration units can be prevented and the critical loads can be maintained. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed protective scheme, the computer simulation of the industrial power system under various load levels and fault cases has been performed. It is concluded that the system stability of the industrial customer can be improved by the proper design of protective schemes.