Different Heights (different + height)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Restraint of fire-exposed concrete floor systems

FIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 2-4 2004
Linus Lim
Abstract This paper describes the numerical analyses of restrained concrete floor slabs exposed to fire. The analyses of the slabs were carried out with the SAFIR finite element program considering a 200 mm thick slab, spanning 5 m between two end supports. The slabs were exposed to the ISO standard fire for up to 4 h and were analysed with pinned and rotationally restrained supports. Different heights of the line of thrust at the supports and different levels of axial restraint were also investigated. The analyses show that fully restrained pin-supported slabs can survive the 4 h ISO fire without collapse if the position of the line of thrust is located near the soffit of the slab. If the position of the line of thrust is located much above the soffit of the slab, the slabs will rapidly undergo large deformations and sag into a catenary, imposing axial tensile forces at the supports. The analyses have shown that even if the line of thrust is located close to the soffit, the slab can still deform into a catenary if there is insufficient horizontal axial restraint. In this study, rotationally restrained slabs experience much smaller vertical deflections than pin-supported slabs when exposed to fires. Rotationally restrained slabs with low levels of horizontal restraint do not collapse, due to the beneficial effects of moment redistribution. However, high levels of horizontal restraint can be detrimental, causing slabs to collapse at advanced stages of the fire. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Retention of luting agents on implant abutments of different height and taper

CLINICAL ORAL IMPLANTS RESEARCH, Issue 5 2005
Mario Bresciano
Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the retention of four cements used to lute metal restorations onto computer designed and manufactured titanium implant abutments of different heights and convergence angles. Material and methods: Test specimens consisted of metal coping cemented on Procera® titanium abutments of 5, 7, and 9 mm of height, and of 0°, 4°, and 8° of convergence angle. The cements used were zinc-phosphate, zinc oxide-eugenole, polyurethane resin with and without vaseline. The samples were tested in a universal testing machine. The mean uniaxial load at point of separation was determined. The results were statistically evaluated with ANOVA. Results: The luting agent, the height, and the taper influence the retention of metal casting on customized CAD,CAM implant abutments. Conclusion: The most retentive cement was zinc-phosphate, followed by polyurethane, polyurethane plus vaseline, and zinc oxide-eugenol. Résumé Le but de cette étude a été d'évaluer la rétention de quatre ciments utilisés pour cimenter des restaurations métalliques sur des piliers implantaires en titane usinés et conçus par ordinateur de différentes hauteurs et angles de convergence. Des spécimens tests consistaient en capsules métalliques cimentées sur des piliers titane Procera de cinq, sept et neuf mm de hauteur et des angles de convergence de zéro, quatre et huit degrés. Les ciments utilisés ont été le phosphate de zinc, l'eugénol oxyde de zinc, la résine polyuréthane avec ou sans vaseline. Les échantillons ont été testés par une machine à test universelle. La charge uniaxiale moyenne au point de séparation a été déterminée. Les résultats étaient statistiquement évalués par l'ANOVA. Tous les éléments influençaient la rétention de ces piliers implantaires. Le ciment le plus rétentif était le phosphate de zinc suivi par le polyuréthane, polyuréthane+vaseline et enfin l'eugénol oxyde de zinc. Zusammenfassung Ziele:,Das Ziel der Studie war, die Retention von vier Zementen, welche für die Befestigung von Metallrekonstruktionen auf im Computer entworfenen und durch Computer hergestellten Implantatsekundärteilen aus Titan mit verschiedenen Höhen und Konvergenzwinkeln verwendet werden, zu untersuchen. Material und Methoden:,Die Testkörper bestanden aus Metallkappen, welche auf Procera Titansekundärteile mit einer Länge von 5, 7 und 9 mm und mit einem Konvergenzwinkel von 0°, 4° und 8° zementiert wurden. Die verwendeten Zemente waren Zink-Phosphat, Zinkoxid-Eugenol und Poliurethan-Resin mit und ohne Vaseline. Die Proben wurden in einer Universal-Testmaschine untersucht. Es wurde der mittlere uniaxiale Belastungspunkt der Separation bestimmt. Die Resultate wurden mittles ANOVA statistisch ausgewertet. Resultate:,Der Zement, die Höhe und die Konizität beeinflussen die Retention von Metallkappen auf individuell hergestellten CAD,CAM Implantatsekundärteilen. Schlussfolgerung:,Der retentivste Zement war Zink-Phosphat, gefolgt von Poliurethan, Poliurethan plus Vaseline und Zinkoxid-Eugenol. Resumen Objetivo:,La intención de este estudio fue evaluar la retención de cuatro cementos usados para cementar restauraciones metálicas sobre pilares de titanio de implantes diseñados y manufacturados por ordenador de diferentes alturas y ángulos de convergencia. Material y métodos:,Los especimenes de prueba consistieron en copins de metal cementados sobre pilares de titanio Procera de 5, 7 years 9 mm de altura, y 0°, 4° years 8° de ángulo de convergencia. Los cementos utilizados fueron fosfato de zinc, óxido de zinc-eugenol, resina de poliuretano con o sin vaselina. Las muestras se probaron con una máquina universal de pruebas. Se determinó la carga media uniaxial en el punto de separación. Los resultados se evaluaron estadísticamente con ANOVA. Resultados:,El agente cementante, la altura, y la influencia de la conicidad la retención del vaciado metálico sobre los pilares de implantes CAD,CAM hechos a medida. Conclusión:,El cemento mas retentivo fue el de fosfato de zinc, seguido por poliuretano, poliuretano mas vaselina, y óxido de zinc-eugenol. [source]


Thrips see red , flower colour and the host relationships of a polyphagous anthophilic thrips

ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 5 2007
A. YAKU
Abstract 1.,The common blossom thrips, Frankliniella schultzei, is a polyphagous anthophilic species that colonises a wide range of host-plant species across different plant taxa. The environmental cues used by these polyphagous insects to recognise and locate host plants are not known. We therefore determined if colour is an important environmental signal used by F. schultzei to recognise flowers of eight of its more significant host-plant species. 2.,The effect of flower colour on the colonisation of different host plant species by F. schultzei was investigated by collecting and analysing the following: (a) numbers of thrips from different heights and aspects of the primary host plant Malvaviscus arboreus, (b) thrips distribution within flowers of Hibiscus rosasinensis, (c) colour reflectance from flowers of eight different host-plant species, and (d) reflectance from different coloured sticky traps and the number of thrips trapped on them at different times of the day and on different dates. 3.,The results indicate that: (a) the thrips (both sexes) concentrate towards the top of the primary host plant M. arboreus and are not distributed differentially according to sunny or shady aspect of the plant, (b) the number of female thrips on H. rosasinensis was higher in anthers compared to petals (corolla) and the basal parts of the flower, and males were as numerous on the petals as were females, and (c) there is a common floral reflectance pattern (but with different intensities) across the eight host plant species, mainly in the red part of the spectrum (600,700 nm). 4.,Results of colour sticky trapping show that red attracts more female thrips compared to any other colour and that most were caught between 09.00 and 11.00 hours. By contrast, more male thrips were trapped between 07.00 and 09.00 hours. Males were more evenly distributed across the different colours but the highest numbers were associated with the yellow traps. 5.,The higher densities of thrips at the top of their host plant may be related to the early morning (07.00,11.00 hours) activity of the thrips, when the top portions of the plant are more exposed to sunlight. The sex-related distributions of F. schultzei thrips across time, coloured sticky traps, and various parts of the flowers seem to be related to mating swarm formation by the males, on the one hand, and the relative frequency and intensity of the use of M. arboreus by the females, on the other, as a feeding and oviposition site. Frankliniella schultzei females respond more strongly to red than to any other colours, so it is predicted that the spectral properties of colour recognition by this species will correlate with the predominant red reflectance of its primary host, M. arboreus, and that there may well be a sex-related difference in colour recognition within this species. [source]


Time series analysis of wind speed with time-varying turbulence

ENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 2 2006
Bradley T. Ewing
Abstract The characterization of the time series properties of wind speed, in terms of the mean and variance, is important and relevant to both engineers and businesses. This research investigates the first and second moments of the Texas Tech WERFL wind speed data utilizing the ARMA-GARCH-in-mean framework. The methodology allows the conditional variance to depend on the size of past shocks (i.e. gusts) in the series. Results have important implications for wind energy production as well as for the operational and financial hedging strategies of companies exposed to wind-related risk. The findings can be summarized as follows: (i) mean wind speeds measured at different heights above ground exhibit persistence and are highly dependent on immediate past wind speed values; (ii) regardless of the height at which the data were collected, wind speed exhibits time-varying variance; (iii) persistence in conditional variance increases with height at which the data were collected; (iv) there is strong evidence that conditional volatility is positively correlated with mean wind speed while the magnitude of this relationship declines with height. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


The effect of tree height and light availability on photosynthetic leaf traits of four neotropical species differing in shade tolerance

FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2000
T. Rijkers
Abstract 1.,Light-saturated rate of photosynthesis (Amax), nitrogen (N), chlorophyll (Chl) content and leaf mass per unit area (LMA) were measured in leaves of trees of different heights along a natural light gradient in a French Guiana rain forest. The following four species, arranged in order from most shade-tolerant to pioneer, were studied: Duguetia surinamensis, Vouacapoua americana, Dicorynia guianensis and Goupia glabra. Light availability of trees was estimated using hemispherical photography. 2.,The pioneer species Goupia had the lowest LMA and leaf N on both an area and mass basis, whereas Duguetia had the highest values. In general, leaf variables of Vouacapoua and Dicorynia tended to be intermediates. Because Amax/area was similar among species, Goupia showed both a much higher light-saturated photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency (PNUEmax) and Amax/mass. Leaves of Vouacapoua demonstrated the greatest plasticity in Amax/area, particularly in small saplings. 3.,A distinction could be made between the effect of tree height and light availability on the structural, i.e. LMA, and photosynthetic leaf characteristics of all four species. The direction and magnitude of the variation in variables were similar among species. 4.,LMA was the key variable that mainly determined variation in the other leaf variables along tree height and light availability gradients, with the exception of changes in chlorophyll concentration. Amax/area, N/area, LMA and stomatal conductance to water vapour (gs) increased, whereas Chl/mass decreased, with both increasing tree height and canopy openness. Amax/mass, PNUEmax and Amax/Chl increased with increasing openness only. N/mass and Chl/area were independent of tree height and openness, except for small saplings of Goupia which had a much lower Chl/area. [source]


Solar Radiation Potential and Site Modelling for Photovoltaic Modules in the Daintree Lowlands of Northeastern Australia

GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2002
I.A. Curtis
A regression model is developed which estimates monthly averages of daily peak sun hours for the Daintree region of North Queensland using 26 years of record. A mean daily peak sun hours of 4.32 ± 0.03 (n = 312) was obtained for the region. Simulations of solar energy potential for electricity generating purposes were made for clearings and treefall gaps at two different heights with four cloud conditions. Gaps in the rainforest of 40 metres or more with a solar array mounted at 7 metres above the ground were found to be optimal for electricity generating purposes under normal cloud conditions. [source]


Will increased storm disturbance affect the biodiversity of intertidal, nonscleractinian sessile fauna on coral reefs?

GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 11 2008
S. J. WALKER
Abstract Relatively little is known about how the future effects of climatic change, including increases in sea level, temperature and storm severity and frequency, will impact on patterns of biodiversity on coral reefs, with the notable exception of recent work on corals and fish in tropical reef ecosystems. Sessile invertebrates such as ascidians, sponges and bryozoans occupying intertidal rubble habitats on coral reefs contribute significantly to the overall biodiversity and ecosystem function, but there is little or no information available on the likely impacts on these species from climate change. The existing strong physical gradients in these intertidal habitats will be exacerbated under predicted climatic change. By examining the distribution and abundance of nonscleractinian, sessile invertebrate assemblages exposed to different levels of wave action and at different heights on the shore around a coral reef, we show that coral reef intertidal biodiversity is particularly sensitive to physical disturbance. As physical disturbance regimes increase due to more intense storms and wave action associated with global warming, we can expect to see a corresponding decrease in the diversity of these cryptic sessile assemblages. This could impact negatively on the future health and productivity of coral reef ecosystems, given the ecosystem services these organisms provide. [source]


Water savings in mature deciduous forest trees under elevated CO2

GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 12 2007
SEBASTIAN LEUZINGER
Abstract Stomatal conductance of plants exposed to elevated CO2 is often reduced. Whether this leads to water savings in tall forest-trees under future CO2 concentrations is largely unknown but could have significant implications for climate and hydrology. We used three different sets of measurements (sap flow, soil moisture and canopy temperature) to quantify potential water savings under elevated CO2 in a ca. 35 m tall, ca. 100 years old mixed deciduous forest. Part of the forest canopy was exposed to 540 ppm CO2 during daylight hours using free air CO2 enrichment (FACE) and the Swiss Canopy Crane (SCC). Across species and a wide range of weather conditions, sap flow was reduced by 14% in trees subjected to elevated CO2, yielding ca. 10% reduction in evapotranspiration. This signal is likely to diminish as atmospheric feedback through reduced moistening of the air comes into play at landscape scale. Vapour pressure deficit (VPD)-sap flow response curves show that the CO2 effect is greatest at low VPD, and that sap flow saturation tends to occur at lower VPD in CO2 -treated trees. Matching stomatal response data, the CO2 effect was largely produced by Carpinus and Fagus, with Quercus contributing little. In line with these findings, soil moisture at 10 cm depth decreased at a slower rate under high-CO2 trees than under control trees during rainless periods, with a reversal of this trend during prolonged drought when CO2 -treated trees take advantage from initial water savings. High-resolution thermal images taken at different heights above the forest canopy did detect reduced water loss through altered energy balance only at <5 m distance (0.44 K leaf warming of CO2 -treated Fagus trees). Short discontinuations of CO2 supply during morning hours had no measurable canopy temperature effects, most likely because the stomatal effects were small compared with the aerodynamic constraints in these dense, broad-leaved canopies. Hence, on a seasonal basis, these data suggest a <10% reduction in water consumption in this type of forest when the atmosphere reaches 540% ppm CO2. [source]


Studying spatial and temporal dynamics of sward structure at low stocking densities: the use of an extended rising-plate-meter method

GRASS & FORAGE SCIENCE, Issue 4 2003
O. Correll
Abstract An extended rising-plate-meter method was used to study the spatial and temporal variability of the sward structure of extensively managed pastures over a grazing season. Two treatments of a long-term grazing experiment with heifers were investigated: extensive continuous grazing (EG) with a target sward height of 10 cm and intensive continuous grazing (IG) with a target sward height of 5 cm. Compressed sward height and related herbage mass (HM), dominant plant species and stage of development of phenology were determined at weekly or twice weekly intervals at fixed measuring points. The results demonstrated a strong variability in sward height and HM, especially on the EG treatment. The botanical composition of the standing herbage differed between treatments and between patches of different heights within the same treatment. In areas with a short sward, the herbage was predominantly composed of Agrostis capillaris, Festuca rubra and Trifolium repens. It was more evenly composed and also included taller growing species, such as Alopecurus pratensis and Galium mollugo, in areas with a tall sward. The area potentially available for reproductive development was high in the EG treatment and low in the IG treatment. The method employed proved suitable to provide a detailed description of the dynamics of the sward structure. [source]


Ordered Gold Nanoarrays: 3D Ordered Gold Strings by Coating Nanoparticles with Mesogens (Adv. Mater.

ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 17 2009
17/2009)
Liquid-crystal-coated gold nanoparticles exhibit 3D long-range ordering in strings jacketed by rod-like mesogens (shown in green) with controllable interparticle spacing. The work reported on p. 1746 by Goran Ungar and co-workers demonstrates a new method of assembling ordered metal nanoparticle superlattices, in a step towards developing self-assembled metamaterials. The cover shows red, yellow, and blue nanoparticles lying at different heights and forming a rhombohedral lattice. [source]


Multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann computation of channel flow past a square cylinder with an upstream control bi-partition

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 6 2010
M. A. Moussaoui
Abstract The present paper deals with the application of the multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann equation (MRT-LBE) for the simulation of a channel flow with a bi-partition located upstream of a square cylinder in order to control the flow. Numerical investigations have been carried out for different heights and positions of the bi-partition at Reynolds number of 250. Key computational issues involved are the computation of fluid forces acting on the square cylinder, the vortex shedding frequency and the impact of such bluff body on the flow pattern. A particular attention is paid to drag and lift coefficients on the square cylinder. The predicted results from MRT-LBE simulations show that in most cases, the interaction was beneficial insofar as the drag of the square block was lower with the bi-partition than without it. Fluctuating side forces due to vortex shedding from the main body were also reduced for most bi-partition positions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Daily pattern of some fatty acids in the athletic horse

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 1 2009
G. Piccione
Summary In the sport field, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) are important for the physical performance during the aerobic exercise of short intensity and long duration. In man, rat, goat and in the sedentary horse studies on the chronometabolism showed the presence of a circadian rhythm of the plasmatic concentration of NEFA while data for the athletic horse are lacking. To define a chronogram helpful for a specific planning and the differentiation of the training programmme in the athletic horse, the circadian pattern of some fatty acids (NEFA, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids) was studied in five Sella Italiana horses. These horses trained following a daily model of activity consisting of walk, trot, gallop and jump of obstacles of different heights. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein every 4 h, starting at 08:00 hours, for 2 days to assess the concentrations of total NEFA (by spectrophotometry), palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids (by gas chromatography). anova for repeated measures showed a statistical significant effect of the time of the day in NEFA, oleic and linolenic acids. The application of the periodic model showed the periodic pattern of NEFA, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids. Acrophases were in the afternoon for all parameters. The results obtained showed a different trend of the circadian pattern of the studied parameters in the athletic horse than in the sedentary one because the physical activity and the post-prandial metabolism acted as zeitgebers. [source]


Size matters sometimes: wall height and the structure of subtidal benthic invertebrate assemblages in south-eastern Australia and Mediterranean Spain

JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 12 2003
A. R. Davis
Abstract Aim, Variation in the structure of shallow subtidal invertebrate assemblages was examined over three spatial scales; within reef, between reef and between continents. We sought to provide a context from which to examine and interpret ecological processes between continents. In addition, we predicted that variation in pattern would increase as the scale of examination increased. Location, Reefs near Wollongong and within Jervis Bay in south-eastern Australia and Mediterranean reefs on the Costa Brava (Catalonia), north-eastern Spain. Methods, We compared assemblages on vertical rock walls of two heights , short (< 2 m) and tall (> 3 m) in two temperate regions over the same depth range. Specifically we examined the diversity and cover of invertebrates, the cover and biomass of foliose and crustose algae, the size of invertebrate colonies and the biomass of urchins on short and tall walls (n = 3) at each of two locations in each country. Results, Foliose algae dominated rock walls in Spain and although invertebrate cover was high, colonies were generally very small. Two urchin species were commonly encountered on rock walls in Spain, Arbacia lixula and Paracentrotus lividus; their biomass was relatively low and did not differ significantly between short and tall walls. These findings contrasted strongly with south-eastern Australia, where foliose algae were almost completely absent. A single urchin species, Centrostephanus rodgersii occurred with extremely high biomass on short walls, which were dominated by grazer-resistant crustose calcareous algae. In contrast, the biomass of this urchin was low on tall walls, which were dominated by invertebrates, usually exceeding 95% in cover. Invertebrate colonies were significantly larger on both short and tall walls in south-eastern Australia relative to the Mediterranean. Findings within a country were consistent between the replicate rock walls and between locations. In contrast to our prediction, however, there was significant variation among walls within a location, but not among locations within a continent. Temporal variation in the structure of these assemblages was not examined, but appears limited. Main conclusions, We conclude that submarine topography, i.e. the presence of short or tall rock walls, as a function of rock type and structure, has a marked impact on community structure in south-eastern Australia, but made little difference to the structure of the assemblage in Mediterranean Spain. The differences in structure we observed between walls of different heights in Australia were correlated with differences in the biomass of urchins and they appear to be major determinants of assemblage structure. Interactions among species are often reported from disparate parts of the globe with little or no reference to the structure of the assemblage of which they are a part; we contend that this will hinder interpretation. Our data are consistent with the organisms in these two regions experiencing distinct selection pressures; for example high levels of urchin grazing activity in south-eastern Australia, and shading and whiplash associated with an algal canopy in the Mediterranean. It may not be appropriate to contrast processes operating at very large (intercontinental) scales unless context can be established with a clear understanding of ecological pattern. Objectivos, En el presente trabajo hemos examinado la variación en estructura de comunidades de invertebrados de aguas someras a tres escalas espaciales: dentro de arrecifes rocosos, entre arrecifes y entre continentes. Nuestro objetivo era proveer un contexto para examinar y interpretar procesos ecológicos entre continentes. Además, realizamos la predicción de que el modelo de variación aumentaría conforme aumentaba la escala de observación. Localidad, Arrecifes rocosos cerca de Wollongong y en Jarvis Bay en la zona sudeste de Australia y arrecifes rocosos mediterráneos en la Costa Brava (Cataluña), en el nordeste de España. Metodos, Comparamos comunidades en paredes rocosas verticales de dos alturas , bajas (< 2 m) y altas (> 3 m) en dos regiones templadas y dentro del mismo rango de profundidades. Específicamente, examinamos la diversidad y el recubrimiento de invertebrados, el recubrimiento y la biomasa de algas foliosas e incrustantes, la medida de las colonias de invertebrados y la biomasa de erizos en paredes bajas y altas (n = 3) en dos localidades de cada país. Resultados, Las algas foliosas dominaban las paredes rocosas en España y, aunque el recubrimiento de invertebrados era alto, las colonias eran generalmente muy pequeñas. Dos especies de erizos eran comunes en las paredes rocosas en España: Arbacia lixula y Paracentrotus lividus. Su biomasa total era relativamente pequeña y no mostraba diferencias significativas entre paredes bajas y altas. Estos resultados contrastan con los hallados en el sudeste de Australia, donde las algas foliosas eran prácticamente ausentes. Una única especie de erizo, Centrostephanus rodgersii, se encontraba en las paredes bajas, donde presentaba elevadas biomasas. Estas paredes estaban dominadas por algas incrustantes y carbonatadas resistentes al ramoneo por erizos. En cambio, la biomasa de este erizo era baja en paredes altas, que estaban dominadas por invertebrados, con recubrimientos normalmente por encima del 95%. Las colonias de invertebrados eran significativamente más grandes tanto en las paredes altas como bajas en el sudeste de Australia en comparación con el Mediterráneo. Los resultados dentro de cada país eran consistentes entre las réplicas de paredes estudiadas y entre localidades. Contrariamente a nuestra predicción, sin embargo, había una variación significativa entre paredes dentro de una localidad pero no entre localidades dentro de un continente. La variación temporal en estructura en estas comunidades no fue estudiada, pero parece ser limitada. Conclusiones Principales, Concluimos que la topografía submarina, esto es, la presencia de paredes bajas o altas en función del tipo de roca y estructura, tiene un efecto importante en la estructura de las comunidades en el sudeste de Australia. Este factor, sin embargo, tiene un efecto muy limitado en el Mediterráneo español. Las diferencias en estructura observadas entre paredes de diferentes alturas en Australia se correlacionan con diferencias en la biomasa de erizos, los cuales parecen ser determinantes en la estructura de las comunidades. Frecuentemente se estudian interacciones entre especies en zonas alejadas del globo con escasa o nula referencia a la estructura de la comunidad de la que forman parte. En nuestra opinión este hecho impide una correcta interpretación. Nuestros datos son consistentes con la idea de que los organismos en las dos regiones estudiadas experimentan diversas presiones selectivas, por ejemplo, niveles altos de ramoneo por erizos en el sudeste de Australia, y oscurecimiento y disturbancia mecánica asociadas a la cobertura de algas en el Mediterráneo. No parece apropiado comparar procesos que operan a escalas muy amplias (intercontinentales) sin establecer antes un contexto con una comprensión clara de los parámetros ecológicos. [source]


Effect of the biomass in the modelling and simulation of the biofiltration of hydrogen sulphide: simulation and experimental validation

JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2010
Javier Silva
Abstract BACKGROUND: Several models have been developed to simulate the decay of pollutants concentration along the biofilter and to predict its performance. Despite the evidence, it is common that most models ignore the effect of variable biomass along the biofilter. An equation that represents the variable amount of active biomass along the column was included in the modelling of a biotrickling filter; it was obtained by measuring the active biomass at different heights. Validation of the model was carried out using experimental data obtained at different H2S loads. RESULTS: The simulation considering the expression for variable active biomass along the column shows better correlation with experimental results. With the diffusion coefficient that shows the best fit with the experimental results; 1.35 × 10,9 m2 s,1, the value of the Thiele module is 2 × 10,3, indicating that biooxidation of H2S is controlled by mass transfer. CONCLUSIONS: A better correlation between experimental results and model prediction is obtained when the expression for variable active biomass along the column is considered in the modelling. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


Improved lateral force calibration based on the angle conversion factor in atomic force microscopy

JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY, Issue 2 2007
DUKHYUN CHOI
Summary A novel calibration method is proposed for determining lateral forces in atomic force microscopy (AFM), by introducing an angle conversion factor, which is defined as the ratio of the twist angle of a cantilever to the corresponding lateral signal. This factor greatly simplifies the calibration procedures. Once the angle conversion factor is determined in AFM, the lateral force calibration factors of any rectangular cantilever can be obtained by simple computation without further experiments. To determine the angle conversion factor, this study focuses on the determination of the twist angle of a cantilever during lateral force calibration in AFM. Since the twist angle of a cantilever cannot be directly measured in AFM, the angles are obtained by means of the moment balance equations between a rectangular AFM cantilever and a simple commercially available step grating. To eliminate the effect of the adhesive force, the gradients of the lateral signals and the twist angles as a function of normal force are used in calculating the angle conversion factor. To verify reliability and reproducibility of the method, two step gratings with different heights and two different rectangular cantilevers were used in lateral force calibration in AFM. The results showed good agreement, to within 10%. This method was validated by comparing the coefficient of friction of mica so determined with values in the literature. [source]


Parameters affecting retentive force of conus crowns

JOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 3 2004
M.A. Güngör
summary, The aim of this study was to determine the values of the retentive forces of the telescopic crowns. At the first step of the study, the samples having different heights and angles were compared in relation to retentive force. At the second step, the samples were subjected to removal procedures having a pre-determined speed, force and number. The obtained retention values were compared. Ninety dies were prepared in order to measure the retention of the conus crowns. The removal tests were performed with the insertion/separation device. The speed of the test device was 100 cm min,1 providing the placement of the pieces with 5 kgf in 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000, 5000 and 10 000 cycles. The mean of the retention values of the changes of the angles were found to be statistically different (P < 0,01). According to the results of the variant analysis, the differences in the changes of the height were statistically significant (P < 0·01). The differences between the changes of the number of procedures of all groups were statistically significant (P < 0·01). The number of procedures, height and angle interactions were statistically insignificant (P = 0·758). According to the results of this study, the effect of the angle and height factors in terms of retention among the groups were not independent of each other. In equal angles, as the height increased, increased retention measurements were obtained. In more acute angles, the increase in retention was more obvious. It was also found that an accessory device was necessary to maintain retention capabilities after a long-term use. [source]


Modelling the spread in space and time of an airborne plant disease

JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL STATISTICAL SOCIETY: SERIES C (APPLIED STATISTICS), Issue 3 2008
Samuel Soubeyrand
Summary., A spatiotemporal model is developed to analyse epidemics of airborne plant diseases which are spread by spores. The observations consist of measurements of the severity of disease at different times, different locations in the horizontal plane and different heights in the vegetal cover. The model describes the joint distribution of the occurrence and the severity of the disease. The three-dimensional dispersal of spores is modelled by combining a horizontal and a vertical dispersal function. Maximum likelihood combined with a parametric bootstrap is suggested to estimate the model parameters and the uncertainty that is attached to them. The spatiotemporal model is used to analyse a yellow rust epidemic in a wheatfield. In the analysis we pay particular attention to the selection and the estimation of the dispersal functions. [source]


Aerosolization as novel sanitizer delivery system to reduce food-borne pathogens

LETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2005
S.-W. Oh
Abstract Aims:, As a preliminary experiment on new sanitizer delivery tools, the efficacy of aerosolized sanitizer on food-borne pathogens was investigated in larger model chamber system. Methods:, Peroxyacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide were aerosolized in a model system against artificially inoculated target micro-organisms on laboratory media. Cultures of four different food-borne pathogens were inoculated and affixed onto three different heights (bottom, wall and ceiling), and three different orientations (face-down, vertical and face-down) inside a commercial semi-trailer cabinet (14·6 × 2·6 × 2·8 m). Sanitizer was aerosolized into 2 ,m droplet size fog and treated for 1 h at ambient temperature. Results:, Populations of Bacillus cereus, Listeria innocua, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhimurium were reduced by an average of 3·09, 7·69, 6·93 and 8·18 log units per plate respectively. Interestingly, L. innocua, Staph. aureus, and Salm. typhimurium showed statistically not different (P , 0·05) reduction patterns relative to height and orientation that were never expected in a spraying system. Conclusions:, Aerosolized sanitizers diffuse like gaseous sanitizers. Significance and Impact of the Study:, Aerosolization has great potential for use in commercial applications. [source]


Application of single-particle laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry for detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from soot particles originating from an industrial combustion process

RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 8 2003
R. Zimmermann
Combustion-related soot particles were sampled in situ from the stoker system of a 0.5,MW incineration pilot plant (feeding material was wood) at two different heights over the feed bed in the third air supply zone. The collected particles were re-aerosolized by a powder-dispersing unit and analyzed by a single-particle laser desorption/ionization (LDI) time-of-flight mass spectrometer (aerosol-time-of-flight mass spectrometry, ATOFMS). The ATOFMS instrument characterizes particles according to their aerodynamic size (laser velocimetry) and chemical composition (LDI mass spectrometry). Chemical species from the particles are laser desorbed/ionized by 266,nm Nd:YAG laser pulses. ATOFMS results on individual ,real world' particles in general give information on the bulk inorganic composition. Organic compounds, which are of much lower concentrations, commonly are not detectable. However, recent off-line laser microprobe mass spectrometric (LMMS) experiments on bulk soot aerosol samples have emphasized that organic compounds can be desorbed and ionized without fragmentation in LDI experiments from black carbonaceous matrices. This paper reports the successful transfer of the off-line results to on-line analysis of airborne soot particles by ATOFMS. The detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from soot particles is addressed in detail. The results are interpreted in the context of the recent LMMS results. Furthermore, their relevance with respect to possible applications in on-line monitoring of combustion processes is discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Visual and non-visual control of landing movements in humans

THE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 1 2001
Marco Santello
1The role of vision in controlling leg muscle activation in landing from a drop was investigated. Subjects (n= 8) performed 10 drops from four heights (0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 m) with and without vision. Drop height was maintained constant throughout each block of trials to allow adaptation. The aim of the study was to assess the extent to which proprioceptive and vestibular information could substitute for the lack of vision in adapting landing movements to different heights. 2At the final stages of the movement, subjects experienced similar peak centre of body mass (CM) displacements and joint rotations, regardless of the availability of vision. This implies that subjects were able to adapt the control of landing to different heights. The amplitude and timing of electromyographic signals from the leg muscles scaled to drop height in a similar fashion with and without vision. 3However, variables measured throughout the execution of the movement indicated important differences. Without vision, landings were characterised by 10 % larger ground reaction forces, 10 % smaller knee joint rotations, different time lags between peak joint rotations, and more variable ground reaction forces and times to peak CM displacement. 4We conclude that non-visual sensory information (a) could not fully compensate for the lack of continuous visual feedback and (b) this non-visual information was used to reorganise the motor output. These results suggest that vision is important for the very accurate timing of muscle activity onset and the kinematics of landing. [source]


European Solar Telescope: Progress status

ASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 6 2010
M. Collados
Abstract In this paper, the present status of the development of the design of the European Solar Telescope is described. The telescope is devised to have the best possible angular resolution and polarimetric performance, maximizing the throughput of the whole system. To that aim, adaptive optics and multi-conjugate adaptive optics are integrated in the optical path. The system will have the possibility to correct for the diurnal variation of the distance to the turbulence layers, by using several deformable mirrors, conjugated at different heights. The present optical design of the telescope distributes the optical elements along the optical path in such a way that the instrumental polarization induced by the telescope is minimized and independent of the solar elevation and azimuth. This property represents a large advantage for polarimetric measurements. The ensemble of instruments that are planned is also presented (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


Efficacy of bird-baited traps placed at different heights for collecting ornithophilic mosquitoes in eastern Queensland, Australia

AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
Cassie C Jansen
Abstract To compare the efficacy of bird-baited traps with standard CO2 -baited Centers for Disease Control (CDC) light traps for collecting ornithophilic mosquito species, seven Latin square trials were conducted at six urban sites in Cairns and Brisbane, Australia. Traps were placed 1 m above ground level and 5,10 m according to tree canopy height. CO2 -baited CDC traps consistently collected more mosquitoes of all species than the bird-baited traps at all locations. In Brisbane, CO2 -baited CDC traps placed at ground level collected significantly more Culex annulirostris Skuse than those at canopy height during two trials, and more Aedes vigilax (Skuse) and Ae. procax (Skuse) during one trial each. Conversely, in Cairns, CO2 -baited CDC traps placed in the tree canopy collected significantly more Cx. squamosus (Taylor) during two trials, and significantly more Aedeomyia catasticta Knab and Cx. cubiculi Marks during one trial each. Consistently low yields of ornithophilic species including Cx. australicus Dobrotworsky & Drummond and Cx. quinquefasciatus Say in all traps tested suggests the need to employ alternative trapping measures to target these species in urban areas. [source]


Interspecific Competition and Niche Separation in Primates: A Global Analysis

BIOTROPICA, Issue 3 2009
Brian M. Schreier
ABSTRACT Primates are an extraordinarily well-known tropical forest, mammalian taxon. We investigated potential modes of niche separation in primates by identifying sympatric species with putatively similar niche characteristics and assessing potential competition using data gleaned from an extensive literature review. We defined competing species-pairs as (a) sympatric species in which (b) the body mass of the larger species was within 30 percent of the smaller species' mass and (c) the species had the same category of diet. A sample of 43 well-studied forests (7,20 per continent) provided 673 pairs of sympatric primate species. Of these, 45 pairs (7%) are potential competitors by our definition. Africa has the largest number of competing pairs (17 pairs), while Asia might have the highest percentage of competitors in each forest site (17%). Niche separation was investigated for each pair by examining them for each of eight possible modes of separation: detailed differences in diets (28% of potential competitors), use of different heights in the forest (25%), use of different types of forest (14%), use of different locations within the forest (11%), use of support branches of different diameters (7%), different ranging behavior (6%), different techniques of prey capture (4%), and differential timing of activity (4%). The use of different heights in the forest is the dominant form of potential separation in Africa (31% of competing species-pairs) and Asia (38%), while detailed differences in diet appears to be the primary mode of niche separation in the Americas (26%) and Madagascar (32%). [source]


The Effect of Hurricane Iris on the Food Supply of Black Howlers (Alouatta pigra) in Southern Belize1

BIOTROPICA, Issue 1 2005
Mary S. M. Pavelka
ABSTRACT Hurricanes frequently affect the forests of South and Central America; however, few studies have quantified their effects to forest structure, especially when concentrating on the food supply of an animal population. Hurricane Iris made landfall in Southern Belize on 8 October 2001, severely damaging a 52 hectare site where the behavioral ecology of a population of Central American Black Howlers (Alouatta pigra) had been under study for 2.5 yr. The hurricane resulted in a mortality rate of 35 percent for major food trees, which was primarily attributed to uprooting, snapping, and major delimbing. This damage accounted for 97 percent of the food tree loss between the two sample periods. Tree species differences were found in both the percentage loss and category of damage to food trees. Trees of different heights also experienced different percentage loss and levels of damage; subcanopy and emergent trees experienced higher loss than canopy trees, and subcanopy trees were frequently uprooted. This was partially attributed to a lack of buttressing on these subcanopy trees. Buttressing was found to decrease the frequency of uprooting. Tree size was the only factor that did not influence either damage or death. Trees from which fruit were eaten by black howlers died more than twice as often as did trees eaten for leaves. [source]


The Flight Heights of Chalcid Wasps (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) in a Lowland Bornean Rain Forest: Fig Wasps are the High Fliers,

BIOTROPICA, Issue 3 2000
Stephen G. Compton
ABSTRACT Tropical rain forests are characterized by their rich plant diversity and highly diverse insect faunas containing mainly rare species. Phytophagous and parasitoid insects utilizing such fragmented resources often must travel considerable distances to find suitable hosts. For small, weak-flying insects, entry into the fast-flowing air above the canopy can provide one way by which long-distance dispersal is achieved. Using sticky traps placed at different heights in a lowland rain forest of Borneo, we compared the diurnal and nocturnal flight heights of chalcids, a group of mainly very small parasitoids and phytophages, to determine if the air above the canopy was used for dispersal. Most families were represented throughout the range of trap heights, including those above the general canopy. A higher proportion of individuals were trapped above the canopy at night than during the day. Fig wasps were exceptional in that they were trapped almost entirely above the canopy. They included species associated with host trees that do not fruit in the canopy, suggesting that these short-lived, slow-flying insects actively fly up above the canopy and then use the wind to passively carry them the long distances needed to reach their highly localized and ephemeral hosts. Once the fig wasps detect the species-specific volatiles released by their host figs, they then may fly down into the canopy, where the lower wind speeds would allow them to fly actively upwind to their hosts. [source]


Fluid dynamics in three 25-gauge vitrectomy systems: principles for use in vitreoretinal surgery

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2 2008
Octaviano Magalhães Jr
Abstract. Purpose:, To compare infusion and extrusion fluid volumes with three 25-gauge vitrectomy systems. Methods:, The infusion and aspiration rates of 25-gauge systems from Alcon (Fort Worth, TX, USA), Bausch & Lomb (St Louis, MO, USA), and the Dutch Ophthalmic Research Centre (DORC, Zuidland, the Netherlands) were measured in vitro using balanced saline solution with different heights (40, 60, 80, 100, 120 cm) of infusion bottle, cutter velocities (800, 1100, 1500 cuts/ min) and aspiration powers (100, 200, 300, 400, 500 mmHg). Results:, The infusion flow velocities differed among the systems (p < 0.001 for all comparisons [p-values 0.0009,0.0001]). The aspiration rates of the Alcon and Bausch & Lomb systems were lower than that of the DORC system (p < 0.02 for all comparisons [p-values 0.018,0.002]). Conclusions:, Infusion and extrusion fluid rates differ among 25-gauge vitrectomy systems. These results may help to optimize ideal aspiration and infusion parameters among 25-gauge vitrectomy systems used to treat vitreoretinal diseases. [source]


Retention of luting agents on implant abutments of different height and taper

CLINICAL ORAL IMPLANTS RESEARCH, Issue 5 2005
Mario Bresciano
Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the retention of four cements used to lute metal restorations onto computer designed and manufactured titanium implant abutments of different heights and convergence angles. Material and methods: Test specimens consisted of metal coping cemented on Procera® titanium abutments of 5, 7, and 9 mm of height, and of 0°, 4°, and 8° of convergence angle. The cements used were zinc-phosphate, zinc oxide-eugenole, polyurethane resin with and without vaseline. The samples were tested in a universal testing machine. The mean uniaxial load at point of separation was determined. The results were statistically evaluated with ANOVA. Results: The luting agent, the height, and the taper influence the retention of metal casting on customized CAD,CAM implant abutments. Conclusion: The most retentive cement was zinc-phosphate, followed by polyurethane, polyurethane plus vaseline, and zinc oxide-eugenol. Résumé Le but de cette étude a été d'évaluer la rétention de quatre ciments utilisés pour cimenter des restaurations métalliques sur des piliers implantaires en titane usinés et conçus par ordinateur de différentes hauteurs et angles de convergence. Des spécimens tests consistaient en capsules métalliques cimentées sur des piliers titane Procera de cinq, sept et neuf mm de hauteur et des angles de convergence de zéro, quatre et huit degrés. Les ciments utilisés ont été le phosphate de zinc, l'eugénol oxyde de zinc, la résine polyuréthane avec ou sans vaseline. Les échantillons ont été testés par une machine à test universelle. La charge uniaxiale moyenne au point de séparation a été déterminée. Les résultats étaient statistiquement évalués par l'ANOVA. Tous les éléments influençaient la rétention de ces piliers implantaires. Le ciment le plus rétentif était le phosphate de zinc suivi par le polyuréthane, polyuréthane+vaseline et enfin l'eugénol oxyde de zinc. Zusammenfassung Ziele:,Das Ziel der Studie war, die Retention von vier Zementen, welche für die Befestigung von Metallrekonstruktionen auf im Computer entworfenen und durch Computer hergestellten Implantatsekundärteilen aus Titan mit verschiedenen Höhen und Konvergenzwinkeln verwendet werden, zu untersuchen. Material und Methoden:,Die Testkörper bestanden aus Metallkappen, welche auf Procera Titansekundärteile mit einer Länge von 5, 7 und 9 mm und mit einem Konvergenzwinkel von 0°, 4° und 8° zementiert wurden. Die verwendeten Zemente waren Zink-Phosphat, Zinkoxid-Eugenol und Poliurethan-Resin mit und ohne Vaseline. Die Proben wurden in einer Universal-Testmaschine untersucht. Es wurde der mittlere uniaxiale Belastungspunkt der Separation bestimmt. Die Resultate wurden mittles ANOVA statistisch ausgewertet. Resultate:,Der Zement, die Höhe und die Konizität beeinflussen die Retention von Metallkappen auf individuell hergestellten CAD,CAM Implantatsekundärteilen. Schlussfolgerung:,Der retentivste Zement war Zink-Phosphat, gefolgt von Poliurethan, Poliurethan plus Vaseline und Zinkoxid-Eugenol. Resumen Objetivo:,La intención de este estudio fue evaluar la retención de cuatro cementos usados para cementar restauraciones metálicas sobre pilares de titanio de implantes diseñados y manufacturados por ordenador de diferentes alturas y ángulos de convergencia. Material y métodos:,Los especimenes de prueba consistieron en copins de metal cementados sobre pilares de titanio Procera de 5, 7 years 9 mm de altura, y 0°, 4° years 8° de ángulo de convergencia. Los cementos utilizados fueron fosfato de zinc, óxido de zinc-eugenol, resina de poliuretano con o sin vaselina. Las muestras se probaron con una máquina universal de pruebas. Se determinó la carga media uniaxial en el punto de separación. Los resultados se evaluaron estadísticamente con ANOVA. Resultados:,El agente cementante, la altura, y la influencia de la conicidad la retención del vaciado metálico sobre los pilares de implantes CAD,CAM hechos a medida. Conclusión:,El cemento mas retentivo fue el de fosfato de zinc, seguido por poliuretano, poliuretano mas vaselina, y óxido de zinc-eugenol. [source]