Raman and FTIR spectroscopy of natural oxalates： Implications for the evidence of life on Mars

Evidence for the existence of primitive life forms such as lichens and fungi can be based upon the formarion of oxalates. Oxalates are most readily detected using Raman spectroscopy. A comparative study of a suite of natural oxalates including weddellite, whewellite, moolooite,humboldtine, glushinskite, natroxalate and oxammite has been undertaken using Raman spectroscopy. The minerals are characterised by the Raman position of the CO stretching vibration which is cation sensitive. The band is observed at 1468 cm^-1 for weddellite, 1489 cm^-1 for moolooite, 1471cm^-1 for glushinskite and 1456 cm^-1 for natroxalate. Except for oxammite, the infrared and Raman spectra are mutually exclusive indicating the minerals are bidentate. Differences are also observed in the water OH stretching bands of the minerals. The significance of this work rests with the ability of Raman spectroscopy to identify oxalates which often occur as a film on a host rock. As such Raman spectroscopy has the potential to identify the existence or pre-existence of life forms on planets such as Mars.     

Numerical Modeling of Dendrite Growth in Al Alloys

Dendritic grains are the most often observed microstructure in metals and alloys. In the past decade, more and more attention has been paid to the modeling and simulation of dendritic microstructures. This paper describes a modified diffusion-limited aggregation model to simulate the complex shape of the dendrite grains during metal solidification. The fractal model was used to simulate equiaxed dendrite growth. The fractal dimensions of simulated Al alloy structures range from 1.63-1.88 …     

A New Way of the Skeletal Metals Synthesis

1 Results Strongly disordered metals with the high chemical and catalytic activity are often called as skeletal metals.Usually for their preparation the metallides of d-metal (which afterwards will be left in the "skeleton") and chemically active component(s) are firstly synthesized.Then the last one(s) is (are) removed by the leaching with aqueous solutions of alkalis or carbonates.However,this method sometime fails,first of all,for the reactions,which should be realized in non-aqueous conditions.In the present work a "dry" way of the activated metals making,based on the method of selective vapor transporting reactions (SVTR) has been considered.The main idea of this method is the removal of the active component from a metallide to the vapor phase.For instance:     

Exploring Codon Usage Patterns of Alternatively Spliced Genes in Human Chromosome 1

Introduction A large number of species (prokaryotes and eukaryotes) have been used to study the pattern of codon usage bias, and it has also been demonstrated that inter- and intra-genomic variation of the pattern of codon usage is a widespread phenomenon, which may result from various factors. Alternative synonymous codon usage does not modify the amino acid sequence encoded in DNA among species and often among genes from the same genome. It has been suggested that the pattern of codon usag…     

Mechanism of intramolecular mixed anhydride formation as intermediates in the reactions of N-phosphorylamino-acids──An MNDO research

N-phosphoryl-α-amino acids can react to form esters, peptides, phosphoryl ester-exchanged products and phosphoryl group migration products under mild conditions, which are very important in researches on arohebiont. It has been proposed that intramolecular mixed carboxylic-phosphoric anhydrides (IMCPAs) might be the common intermediates of the reactions, which are difficult to be experimentally observed because of their high activity. In this note, it has been revealed, by means of MNDO, that the IMCPAs are situated at the relatively minimal points of the potential surface and can form in a non-synchronous concerted reaction pathway that passes through a transition state with a hydrogen-bond-bridge structure. The results give a successful explanation to the structure and formation of IMCPAs and their ability to promote the various reactions mentioned above.     

Numerical Modeling of Dendrite Growth in AI Alloys

Dendritic grains are the most often observed microstructure in metals and alloys. In the past decade, more and more attention has been paid to the modeling and simulation of dendritic microstructures.This paper describes a modified diffusion-limited aggregation model to simulate the complex shape of the dendrite grains during metal solidification. The fractal model was used to simulate equiaxed dendrite growth.The fractal dimensions of simulated AI alloy structures range from 1,63-1.88 which compares well with the experimentally-measured fractal dimension of 1.85; therefore, the model accurately predicts not only the dendritic structure morphology, but also the fractal dimension of the dendrite structure formed during solidification,     

Influence of Soaking Effects to the Shear Strength of the Colluviums on Mt. Da-Lum

Landslide of colluviums often occurs during or after heavy rainfall because the huge quantity of precipitation induces the upsurge of groundwater table as well as the reduction of effec-tive stress of soil stratum and the factor of safety from slope sta-bility analysis. Moreover,the longer duration of heavy rainfall maintain the higher groundwater table,the shear strength parame-ters may be decline due to the soil being soaked for longer period of time. The campus of Huafan University is mostly covered by colluviums that located on Mt. Da-Lum,Shih-Tin Hsiang,Taipei County,Taiwan,China. Slope stability is one of the major con-cerned issues,for this reason,a slope monitoring test site has been established around the campus. According to the data collected,the magnitude of slope movement influenced by rainfall can be observed. In this study,the colluviums samples are collected from the campus of Huafan University and direct shear tests are per-formed to obtain the shear strength parameters of the remolded soil samples that soaked in the water for various periods of time,i.e. 0,1,2,3,5 and 7 days respectively. From these tests,the change of the shear strength and slope stability of colluviums with respect to the soaking time of soil has been further understood.     

The electron-beam (EB) irradiation and grafting of acrylic monomers onto EPDM copolymer

Radiation techniques (electron-beam, γ-ray, etc.) are usually used for improving the compatibility between polymer and ingredients in composite materials. Electron-beam pre-irradiation has been used for the first time to enhance the flame retardance of EVA copolymer. Efforts are being made to decline the flammability for EPDM copolymer by EB technique and remarkable reduction has been attained through a series of treatments pre-irradiation, grafting and saponification.     

Modeling the Tensile Properties of Soybean Protein Yarns

The tensile properties of a series of soybean protein yarns are tested in USTER THINKPAID Ⅲ. A nonlinear viscoelastic model has been proposed to describe the tensile behavior of soybean protein yarns. The model is composed of a Maxwell element, a linear spring and a nonlinear spring. The tensile properties of soybean protein yam are analyzed. The stress-strain curves of the yams are fitted. The average breaking tenacity and specific work of rupture are calculated using the average breaking strain. Comparisons indicate that theoretical predictions conform the experimental results very well.     

A numerical study on the gas fluidisation of secondary agglomerates of nanoparticles

Numerical simulations are performed on the gas fluidization of the secondary agglomerates of SiO₂ and SiC nanoparticles. An Eulerian two-fluid approach is used, which models the solids stress modulus with an empirical Jung-Gidaspow relationship and the drag force based on the secondary agglomerates. The results show the behaviour of particulate fluidisation of the secondary agglomerates of nanoparticles. The fluidised bed has a very high expansion ratio but without distinct bubbles. A three-zone distribution of time-averaged particle concentration is observed along the bed height. These are a dense zone in the lower part of the bed, a dilute zone at the top part, and a transitional zone lies in between. The radial distribution of particle concentration is found to be nearly homogeneous in both the dilute and transitional zones. The modelling results are compared with experimental results reported in the literature and reasonably good agreement has been achieved.     

Modeling Experiment of Break of Debris-Flow Dam

Glaciers are extensively developed in the southwest of Tibet and the moraines are widely distributed with large depth. Large-scale debris flows are often reported which blocked rivers and formed dams. In this paper, seven large debris flows in four valleys are discussed, among which five dams developed. 13 sets of experiments have been conducted in laboratory to simulate the formation and failure of the dam. Finally, a model of dam failure is proposed and a formula is established to calculate the flood discharge： Q=kbnnk/TB^-/LG^0.1,where bk is the outlet width of the dam at the original water level, hk the erosive depth, T the time from overflow to final state of failure, the average width of lake; L the length of the lake, and G the total potential energy of the water in the lake.     

Study on Bending of Woven Fabrics Using Linear Viscoelasticity Theory

The bending behavior of woven fabrics under low curva-ture conditions has been analyzed by linear viscoelastictheory.The fabric is assumed to behave viscoelasticallyand to be subjected to frictional restraints in bending de-formation.The frictional restraint is considered to beproportional to the curvature and can be described by africtional moment.A model has been constructed by astandard three-element solid model and a paralleledfrictional sliding element.The equations of the model fora cyclic curvature variation are derived.A set of param-eters of the equations for each fabric has been obtainedexperimentally.Predictions of the bending rigidity andhysteresis for wool,cashmere,wool/polyester blended,polyester and cotton fabrics are made,displaying verygood agreement with the experimental observations.     

Dirichlet Form of Product of Variational Fractais

Much effort has gone into constructing Dirichlet forms to define Laplacians on self-similar sets.However, the results have only been successful on p. c.f. (post critical finite) fractals. We prove the existence of a Dirichlet form on a class of non- p. c.f. sets that are the product of variational fractals.     

New observations of the lobopod-like worm Facivermis from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang Lagersttte

Facivermis yunnanicus （Hou ＆ Chen, 1989）, from the Early Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstatte, a worm-like fossil with 5 pairs of tentacles and a perceived shrunken end, has been regarded as related to polychaetes, later it has been variously interpreted as Iobopods, Pentastoma and Iophophorates. Newly discovered complete specimens by the ELI field team show that the taxon has, in addition to the 5 pairs of appendages, a pear-shaped trunk end bearing two or three circles of hooks. Accordingly based on these important morphological characters, reconsideration of its affinities is provided and the taxonomy is remedied herein. Because the five pairs of appendages of Facivermis yunnanicus resemble the appendages of the fore-trunk of Iobopod Miraluolishania （Liu ＆ Shu, 2004）, it seems that they are homologous structures. Therefore, the affinities of Facivermis are regarded here as being close to the Iobopods, in addition, the lobe-like appendages of Facivermis are very crucial to exploring the origin of the appendages of Iobopods and arthropods.     

High Performance of a TOA-TDOA Hybrid GSM Location System for Intelligent Transportation Systems

This paper illustrates the performance of a mobile positioning technique applicable to a GSM network. An experimental system of a network-based GSM positioning for ITS has been proposed, and the hybrid TOA-TDOA method based on GSM signaling has been analyzed and used. The performance of the proposed system is showed through simulations in urban and suburban environments. The accuracy for 67% mobile stations is 70 m in urban and 120 m in suburban. The accuracy, coverage and network load of positioning system are also analyzed.     

Estimation of Cloud Node Acquisition Waseem Ahmed and Yongwei Wu简

Over the past decade, there has been a paradigm shift leading consumers and enterprises to the adoption of cloud computing services. Even though most cases are still in the early stages of transition, there has been a steady increase in the implementation of the pay-as-you-go or pay-as-you-grow models offered by cloud providers. Whether applied as an extension of virtual infrastructure, software, or platform as a service, many users are still challenged by the estimation of adequate resource allocation and the wide variations in pricing. Customers require a simple method of predicting future demand in terms of the number of nodes to be allocated in the cloud environment. In this paper, we review and discuss existing methodologies for estimating the demand for cloud nodes and their corresponding pricing policies. Based on our review, we propose a novel approach using the Hidden Markov Model to estimate the acquisition of cloud nodes.     

膏体充填中挡墙安全性分析

In underground mining, there has been an increasing use of “cemented paste” for the backfilling of stopes. As this cemented paste backfill (CPB) enters the stope as a fluid, shotcrete barricades are often used to retain the fill material during and after the filling operations. However, failures of barricades have been reported around the world in recent years. This paper presents an analytical solution based on the elastic thin plate theory for calibrating the design of shotcrete barricades in underground mines using CPB. This solution was used to determine the quantitative relationships between the lateral loading from the paste and the barricade response during the backfilling process. The results show that the proposed solution agrees well with in situ data. According to the actual barricade responses, the acceptable tensile stress and an analysis method of cracks development are proposed. The proposed solution has practical significance for underground mines.     

A Symbolistic Study of Robert Frost＇s＂The Road not Taken＂ and ＂Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening＂

Synabolism is a major literary theory which is often adopted by many poets. It refers to the use of symbols to represent things. Robert Frost is among the best poets who are well-known for the symbolic poems. His poems are easily understood since they are written like everyday speech. Robert Frost uses natural symbolism in a lot of his poems. He has written about the natural scenes and wildlife so much that some people consider him as a natnre Doer.     

Selection of Dispersivity in Groundwater Risk Assessment

The Domenico model is used in combination with ASTM E 1739 in a Tier 2 risk assessment of chlorinated organic solvents contaminated groundwater sites to predict potential contaminant concentration in groundwater down-gradient from the point of exposure (POE). A knowledge of the dispersivity parameters is necessary for carrying out this calculation. A constant longitudinal dispersivity of 10 m is often used in analytical and numerical calculation. However, because of the scale effect of dispersion, two other main approaches are currently often used. From the viewpoint of conservative principle in risk assessment, it is necessary to determine which dispersivity data will give a higher predicted concentration, corresponding to a more conservative risk calculation. Generally, it is considered that a smaller dispersivity leads to a higher predicted concentration. This assumption is correct when dispersion is the only natural attenuation factor.However, degradation of commonly encountered chlorinated organic solvents in environment under natural condition has been widely reported. Calculations given in this paper of several representative cases show that a general consideration of the influence of dispersivity on concentration prediction is not always correct when a degradation term is included in the calculation. To give a conservative risk calculation, the scale effect of dispersion is considered. Calculations also show that the dispersivity parameters need to be determined by considering the POE distance from the source, the groundwater velocity, and the degradation rate of the contaminant.     

Electroless Plating of Thin Silver Films on Porous Al2O3 Substrate and the Study of Deposition Kinetics

A novel concept has been developed to coat the inner pore surfaces of reticulated alumina with a thin silver film by an electroless-plating method. As a result of coating, the porous alumina sample exhibits a sharp transition from insulating to conducting due to a thin silver layer on the inner pore surfaces. Systematic studies have been carried out to investigate the coating kinetics by employment of scanning electron microscope （SEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and computer simulation. Both coating procedures and effects of processing parameters on the quality of films are reported. Also, this paper presents the film bonding strength to the substrate, effects of sintering, and conduction mechanism of coated composite. The fundamental silver electroless-plating mechanism has been identified based on computer modeling. The simulation results indicate an excellent agreement between the silver deposition behavior and the physical model applied.