Increasing dominance of large lianas in Amazonian forests

Ecological orthodoxy suggests that old-growth forests should be close to dynamic equilibrium, but this view has been challenged by recent findings that neotropical forests are accumulating carbon and biomass, possibly in response to the increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. However, it is unclear whether the recent increase in tree biomass has been accompanied by a shift in community composition. Such changes could reduce or enhance the carbon storage potential of old-growth forests in the long term. Here we show that non-fragmented Amazon forests are experiencing a concerted increase in the density, basal area and mean size of woody climbing plants (lianas). Over the last two decades of the twentieth century the dominance of large lianas relative to trees has increased by 1.7-4.6% a year. Lianas enhance tree mortality and suppress tree growth, so their rapid increase implies that the tropical terrestrial carbon sink may shut down sooner than current models suggest. Predictions of future tropical carbon fluxes will need to account for the changing composition and dynamics of supposedly undisturbed forests.     

Dual effect of cannabinoid CB<Subscript>1</Subscript> receptor stimulation on a vanilloid VR1 receptor-mediated response

Cannabinoid CB1 receptors and vanilloid VR1 receptors are co-localized to some extent in sensory neurons of the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia. In this study, we over-expressed both receptor types in human embryonic kidney (HEK)-293 cells and investigated the effect of the CB1 agonist HU-210 on the VR1-mediated increase in intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i), a well-known response of the prototypical VR1 agonist capsaicin. After a 5-min pre-treatment, HU-210 (0.1 microM) significantly enhanced the effect of several concentrations of capsaicin on [Ca2+]i in HEK-293 cells over-expressing both rat CB1 and human VR1 (CB1-VR1-HEK cells), but not in cells over-expressing only human VR1 (VR1-HEK cells). This effect was blocked by the CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716A (0.5 microM), and by phosphoinositide-3-kinase and phospholipase C inhibitors. The endogenous agonist of CB1 and VR1 receptors, anandamide, was more efficacious in inducing a VR1-mediated stimulation of [Ca2+]i in CB1-VR1-HEK cells than in VR1-HEK cells, and part of its effect on the former cells was blocked by SR141716A (0.5 microM). Pre-treatment of CB1-VR1-HEK cells with forskolin, an adenylate cyclase activator, enhanced the capsaicin effect on [Ca2+]i. HU-210, which in the same cells inhibits forskolin-induced enhancement of cAMP levels, blocked the stimulatory effect of forskolin on capsaicin. Our data suggest that in cells co-expressing both CB1 and VR1 receptors, pre-treatment with CB1 agonists inhibits or stimulates VR1 gating by capsaicin depending on whether or not cAMP-mediated signalling has been concomitantly activated.     

Children's family change: reports and records of mothers, fathers and children compared

Family change, when adults depart or arrive around children, raises policy issues. Its measurement depends upon the evidence collected and from whom. This paper compares British children's histories obtained from fathers and mothers. The evidence, on one birth cohort of parents, comes from two sources: the National Child Development Study and the ONS Longitudinal Study. The resulting account of family change is not substantially different between parents. There is some under-reporting of children not living with their fathers. This is due to under-reporting by those included in the studies and to under-representation in them of absent fathers and lone parents.     

满足左正则性条件的IC富足半群

一个有限半群是满足左正则性条件的IC富足半群当且仅当它是一个幂等元形成左正则带的纯整超富足半群,但满足左正则性条件的无限IC富足半群不都是幂等元形成左正则带的纯整超富足半群.     

基于小波变换和奇异值分解相结合的加密图像数字水印算法

以一种加密算法和多级小波变换,奇异值分解为基础,提出一种数字水印算法.将原始图像进行多级小波分解,然后对低频部分进行奇异值变换,将加密的水印信息嵌入其中.实验结果表明:该算法不仅具有较好的不可感性,而且对几何变换,如旋转、剪切、镜像,叠加噪声如椒盐、高斯噪声及高斯滤波等均具有很好的鲁棒性.     

创建平安公路构建和谐交通

文章通过分析道路交通事故的原因，提出减少道路交通事故、创建平安公路的对策措施。     

退火温度对25Mn-3Si-3Al-TWIP钢组织和力学性能的影响

研究了不同退火温度对25Mn-3Si-3Al-TWIP钢组织和力学性能的影响.结果表明经1000℃退火后,此钢种可达到640MPa左右的抗拉强度和255MPa左右的屈服强度以及82%以上的延伸率,具有较好的综合力学性能.其室温组织为单相奥氏体基体的退火孪晶,通过TEM观察内部为大量的层错和孪晶共存结构.在随后的拉伸变形过程中产生大量形变孪晶,发生了TWIP效应——孪晶诱发塑性效应,使钢板具有优良的力学性能.     

基于BP网络的水火弯板局部收缩量建模研究

以实船板水火加工成型的测试数据为样本，应用的ＢＰ网络，分别建立了帆型曲板的最大收缩长度、收缩面积的７参数和５参数的４个神经网络模型，介绍了网络的结构设计及其训练过程，进行了网络的误差分析；算例结果证明该模型具有实用意义。     

2,6-二羟基对苯二甲酸的合成及表征

以3,5-二羟基苯甲酸为原料,在常压、二氧化碳条件下,以Kolbe-Schmitt反应机理进行羧化制备2,6-二羟基对苯二甲酸,通过高效液相色谱、红外和核磁对产物结构和纯度进行了表征,发现产物结构正确,且纯度可达99.62%.实验结果表明,该工艺路线可行,产物纯度高,是一个简单可行的好方法.     

考虑蒙皮效应的高层结构有限元分析

文章将蒙皮效应引入高层钢结构的计算分析中 ,对结构各组成部分进行有限元分析。在分析过程中将压型钢板等价为正交各向异性平板 ,并对其引入壳体概念。在推导单元刚度矩阵时 ,着重阐述了压型钢板等效剪切模量的形成。最后通过算例 ,将计算结果与参考结果相比较 ,充分验证了蒙皮效应在高层结构中可有效控制建筑物的侧移