Due to the limit of the pixel size of the charge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, the traditional differential algorithm has a limited measuring accuracy ...by determining the critical angle in integral pixel. In this paper, we present a practical algorithm based on the centroid value of the reflective ratio around the critical angle pixel to address the traditional differential algorithm problem of determining the critical angle under sub-pixel in a critical angle refractometer (CAR). When the change of refractive index (RI) of a liquid sample is beyond the sensitivity of the traditional differential algorithm, the RI of the liquid can be obtained by using the centroid value of reflectivity around the critical angle pixel. The centroid value is associated with the RI change of the liquid in sub-pixel. Demonstrated by both theoretical analyses and experimental results using saline solutions with RI that changes in sub-pixel tested through the reflective CAR, the algorithm is found to be computationally effective and robust to expand the measuring accuracy of the Abbe-type refractometer in sub-pixel.
Abstract
Background
Microbial communities in both natural and applied settings reliably carry out myriads of functions, yet how stable these taxonomically diverse assemblages can be and what causes ...them to transition between states remains poorly understood. We studied monthly activated sludge (AS) samples collected over 9 years from a full-scale wastewater treatment plant to answer how complex AS communities evolve in the long term and how the community functions change when there is a disturbance in operational parameters.
Results
Here, we show that a microbial community in activated sludge (AS) system fluctuated around a stable average for 3 years but was then abruptly pushed into an alternative stable state by a simple transient disturbance (bleaching). While the taxonomic composition rapidly turned into a new state following the disturbance, the metabolic profile of the community and system performance remained remarkably stable. A total of 920 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), representing approximately 70% of the community in the studied AS ecosystem, were recovered from the 97 monthly AS metagenomes. Comparative genomic analysis revealed an increased ability to aggregate in the cohorts of MAGs with correlated dynamics that are dominant after the bleaching event. Fine-scale analysis of dynamics also revealed cohorts that dominated during different periods and showed successional dynamics on seasonal and longer time scales due to temperature fluctuation and gradual changes in mean residence time in the reactor, respectively.
Conclusions
Our work highlights that communities can assume different stable states under highly similar environmental conditions and that a specific disturbance threshold may lead to a rapid shift in community composition.
Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are a group of >50 different types of inherited metabolic disorders that result from defects in the lysosome. The aim of this study was to investigate the ...distribution and demographic characteristics of the different subtypes of LSDs in Eastern China. From 2006 to 2012, 376 out of 1331 clinically suspected patients were diagnosed with 17 different subtypes of LSDs at our hospital. Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) were the most common group of LSDs (50.5%), followed by sphingolipidoses (25.4%) and Pompe disease (19.8%). Mucolipidosis type II/III accounted for the remaining 4% of diagnosed LSDs. MPS II was the most common form of MPS, comprising 47.4% of all MPS cases diagnosed, followed by MPS IVA (26.8%) and MPS I (16.3%). Gaucher disease and Niemann-Pick disease type A/B were the two most common forms of sphingolipidoses. There was a large variation in the time between disease onset and eventual diagnosis, from 0.3 years in infantile-onset Pompe disease to 30 years in Fabry disease, highlighting timely and accurate diagnosis of LSDs as the main challenge in China.
The sluggish electron transfer process in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) greatly restrict the large-scale application of water electrolysis for hydrogen generation. The modification of the ...electronic states around the Fermi level of the electrocatalysts is significant for accelerating the sluggish OER kinetics. So far, the OER kinetics solely involve either an adsorbate evolution mechanism (AEM), or a lattice oxygen oxidation mechanism (LOM). In a paper recently published in Nature, Xue and coworkers report an electron transfer mechanism that involves a switchable AEM and LOM in nickel-oxyhydroxide-based materials triggered by the light 1. In contrast with previously reported electrocatalysts, the electrocatalyst proceeding through this mechanism shows a better OER activity. Hence, the reported light-triggered mechanism that couples AEM and LOM pioneers an innovative pathway towards the exploration of OER kinetics.
Gate valves have been widely used in the piping system and have attracted a lot of attention from researchers. In this paper, a wedge-type double disk parallel gate valve is chosen to be analyzed. ...The Reynolds number varying from 200 to 500,000, and the valve opening degree varying from 20% to 100%, and the groove depth varying from 2.3 mm to 9 mm are chosen to investigate their effects on the flow and loss coefficients of the gate valve. The results show that the loss coefficient decreases and the flow coefficient increases with the increase of the Reynolds number and the valve opening degree, while with the increase of the groove depth, the loss coefficient barely changes, but the flow coefficient increases if the Reynolds number is larger than 10,000. In addition, the effects of the gaps between the disk and the limit stop on the stress distribution of the bolt are also investigated, and the results show that if the gaps are negative, high stress will act on the bolt at the contact position between the bolt and the limit stop.
By finding that the projection operators of the basic quantum mechanical representations can be written as operator delta functions, we derive the explicit forms of quantum-mechanical fundamental ...representations in Fock space by directly carrying out the integrals within the normally ordered product of operators.
Abstract
Maintaining water balance is a real challenge for amphibians in terrestrial environments. Our previous studies with toad
Bombina maxima
discovered a pore-forming protein and trefoil factor ...complex βγ-CAT, which is assembled under tight regulation depending on environmental cues. Here we report an unexpected role for βγ-CAT in toad water maintaining. Deletion of toad skin secretions, in which βγ-CAT is a major component, increased animal mortality under hypertonic stress. βγ-CAT was constitutively expressed in toad osmoregulatory organs, which was inducible under the variation of osmotic conditions. The protein induced and participated in macropinocytosis in vivo and in vitro. During extracellular hyperosmosis, βγ-CAT stimulated macropinocytosis to facilitate water import and enhanced exosomes release, which simultaneously regulated aquaporins distribution. Collectively, these findings uncovered that besides membrane integrated aquaporin, a secretory pore-forming protein can facilitate toad water maintaining via macropinocytosis induction and exocytosis modulation, especially in responses to osmotic stress.
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•As far as we know, it is the first report on the HP/polymer composites in aqueous dispersion with the HP content as high as 30phr.•The hindered phenol is well dispersed in the ...polymer matrix without any special post-treatment.•The TA value is improved from 55.6 to 92.3 with 66.2% enhancement as the consequence of HP content at 30 phr.
The building of polymer composite particles in their confined colloidal-scale space is a highlighted topic, leading to advanced structure complexity and high performance in functional coating applications. Here, we demonstrate a direct emulsion polymerization (EP) approach to synthesize composite latex with hindered phenol (HP), a kind of functional small molecules, successfully loaded inside colloidal polymer particles. Monomer conversion as well as the evolution of droplet/particle size has been traced as a function of polymerization time. The results evidence the smooth running of the polymerization process with high HP loading in situ in the aqueous dispersion which could reach 30 phr. As-synthesized HP/polymer latex could be conveniently used for the formation of coating films. The films are unique for the greatly improved damping properties. With HP content of 30 phr, the effective damping temperature range can be broadened to 112 ℃, and the a maximum loss factor can rise to 2.7. The weak hydrogen bonding is found to be the key for the incorporation of HP with the polymer segments, and contributes to the dissipation of vibration energy in the films. Combined with the environmental benefits, waterborne composite latex here is of potential application for the building of green damping coating systems.
In order to quantify the fuzziness in the simplified neutrosophic setting, this paper proposes a generalized distance-based entropy measure and a dimension root entropy measure of simplified ...neutrosophic sets (NSs) (containing interval-valued and single-valued NSs) and verifies their properties. Then, comparison with the existing relative interval-valued NS entropy measures through a numerical example is carried out to demonstrate the feasibility and rationality of the presented generalized distance-based entropy and dimension root entropy measures of simplified NSs. Lastly, a decision-making example is presented to illustrate their applicability, and then the decision results indicate that the presented entropy measures are effective and reasonable. Hence, this study enriches the simplified neutrosophic entropy theory and measure approaches.
Premise of the Study
To investigate the population genetics and evolutionary history of wuyao (Lindera aggregata, Lauraceae) and other Lindera species, polymorphic chloroplast microsatellite (cpSSR) ...primers were developed.
Methods and Results
The complete chloroplast genome of L. glauca was used to design 74 primers for L. aggregata. Agarose gel electrophoresis and Sanger sequencing were used to select 20 polymorphic primers. These primers were then tested in 70 individuals from three populations of L. aggregata. The number of alleles ranged from two to four, and the unbiased haploid diversity index ranged from 0.457 to 0.685. Up to 17 primers successfully amplified in four other Lindera species: L. prattii, L. chunii, L. lungshengensis, and L. pulcherrima var. hemsleyana.
Conclusions
The 20 primers reported here can potentially be used for future genetic studies of L. aggregata and other Lindera species.
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