FORECASTING ：EXCHANGE RATES： AN OPTIMAL APPROACH

This paper looks at forecasting daily exchange rates for the United Kingdom, European Union, and China. Here, the authors evaluate the forecasting performance of neural networks （NN）, vector singular spectrum analysis （VSSA）, and recurrent singular spectrum analysis （RSSA） for fore casting exchange rates in these countries. The authors find statistically significant evidence based on the RMSE, that both VSSA and RSSA models outperform NN at forecasting the highly unpredictable exchange rates for China. However, the authors find no evidence to suggest any difference between the forecasting accuracy of the three models for UK and EU exchange rates.     

Effect of melting temperature on microstructural evolutions,behavior and corrosion morphology of Hadfield austenitic manganese steel in the casting process

In this study, the effect of melting temperature on the microstructural evolutions, behavior, and corrosion morphology of Hadfield steel in the casting process is investigated. The mold was prepared by the sodium silicate/CO₂ method, using a blind riser, and then the desired molten steel was obtained using a coreless induction furnace. The casting was performed at melting temperatures of 1350, 1400, 1450, and 1500℃, and the cast blocks were immediately quenched in water. Optical microscopy was used to analyze the microstructure, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffractrometry (XRD) were used to analyze the corrosion morphology and phase formation in the microstructure, respectively. The corrosion behavior of the samples was analyzed using a potentiodynamic polarization test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 3.5wt% NaCl. The optical microscopy observations and XRD patterns show that the increase in melting temperature led to a decrease of carbides and an increase in the austenite grain size in the Hadfield steel microstructure. The corrosion tests results show that with increasing melting temperature in the casting process, Hadfield steel shows a higher corrosion resistance. The SEM images of the corrosion morphologies show that the reduction of melting temperature in the Hadfield steel casting process induced micro-galvanic corrosion conditions.     

多道次摩擦搅拌处理和镁添加对Al 1050合金的微观结构和拉伸性能的影响

研究了多道次搅拌摩擦加工 (FSP) 和镁粉添加对 Al 1050 合金不同微观结构部分的影响,包括搅拌区 (SZ)、热影响区 (HAZ) 和热机械影响区 (TMAZ)等。对微观结构分析结果表明,随着 FSP 道次的增加,非复合样品和复合样品中 SZ 的晶粒尺寸减小,而非复合样品中 TMAZ 和 HAZ 的晶粒尺寸增加。此外,镁粉的加入导致了大程度的晶粒细化,增加 FSP 道次的数量导致原位复合样品中 Al–Mg 金属间化合物的分布更均匀。拉伸试验结果表明,与母材和复合材料样品相比,经过四道 FSP 的非复合材料样品表现出更高的伸长率和韧性断裂。然而,与母材和非复合样品相比,该样品表现出脆性断裂和更高的拉伸强度。与经过 FSP 的母材和非复合材料样品相比,复合材料样品的制造显着提高了硬度。     

Comparative analysis of chimpanzee and human Y chromosomes unveils complex evolutionary pathway

The mammalian Y chromosome has unique characteristics compared with the autosomes or X chromosomes. Here we report the finished sequence of the chimpanzee Y chromosome (PTRY), including 271 kb of the Y-specific pseudoautosomal region 1 and 12.7 Mb of the male-specific region of the Y chromosome. Greater sequence divergence between the human Y chromosome (HSAY) and PTRY (1.78%) than between their respective whole genomes (1.23%) confirmed the accelerated evolutionary rate of the Y chromosome. Each of the 19 PTRY protein-coding genes analyzed had at least one nonsynonymous substitution, and 11 genes had higher nonsynonymous substitution rates than synonymous ones, suggesting relaxation of selective constraint, positive selection or both. We also identified lineage-specific changes, including deletion of a 200-kb fragment from the pericentromeric region of HSAY, expansion of young Alu families in HSAY and accumulation of young L1 elements and long terminal repeat retrotransposons in PTRY. Reconstruction of the common ancestral Y chromosome reflects the dynamic changes in our genomes in the 5-6 million years since speciation.     

影响聚丙烯酰胺在土壤和水分管理应用的因素

水溶性阴离子聚丙烯酰胺(PAMs)。因其影响土壤的分散、结絮和团聚作用，稳定土壤的结构争提高土壤的渗流，使得土壤地表水的径流、土壤侵蚀和板结程度降低到最小。已被应用于不同的农业目标来有效地控制土壤侵蚀、保护地下水水质和显著地降低动物废弃水中的细菌和养分含量。对影响PAM在土壤和水分管理应用的因素，从土壤和水特性包括土壤质地、溶解盐的浓度、有机质含量对PAM吸附的影响，PAM分子量及其电荷在土壤渗透作用中的作用等两方面进行了评述，介绍了PAM在土壤和水中降解与环境安全问题和今后研究的某些方向。参36。     

Systematic analysis of genes required for synapse structure and function

Chemical synapses are complex structures that mediate rapid intercellular signalling in the nervous system. Proteomic studies suggest that several hundred proteins will be found at synaptic specializations. Here we describe a systematic screen to identify genes required for the function or development of Caenorhabditis elegans neuromuscular junctions. A total of 185 genes were identified in an RNA interference screen for decreased acetylcholine secretion; 132 of these genes had not previously been implicated in synaptic transmission. Functional profiles for these genes were determined by comparing secretion defects observed after RNA interference under a variety of conditions. Hierarchical clustering identified groups of functionally related genes, including those involved in the synaptic vesicle cycle, neuropeptide signalling and responsiveness to phorbol esters. Twenty-four genes encoded proteins that were localized to presynaptic specializations. Loss-of-function mutations in 12 genes caused defects in presynaptic structure.     

Pseudo-<Emphasis Type="Italic">in-situ</Emphasis> stir casting: a new method for production of aluminum matrix composites with bimodal-sized B<Subscript>4</Subscript>C reinforcement

A new method was applied to produce an Al-0.5wt%Ti-0.3wt%Zr/5vol%B₄C composite via stir casting with the aim of characterizing the microstructure of the resulting composite. For the production of the composite, large B₄C particles (larger than 75 μm) with no pre-heating were added to the stirred melt. Reflected-light microscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, laser particle size analysis, and image analysis using the Clemex software were performed on the cast samples for microstructural analysis and phase detection. The results revealed that as a consequence of thermal shock, B₄C particle breakage occurred in the melt. The mechanism proposed for this phenomenon is that the exerted thermal shock in combination with the low thermal shock resistance of B₄C and large size of the added B₄C particles were the three key parameters responsible for B₄C particle breakage. This breakage introduced small particles with sizes less than 10 μm and with no contamination on their surfaces into the melt. The mean particle distance measured via image analysis was approximately 60 μm. The coefficient of variation index, which was used as a measure of particle distribution homogeneity, showed some variations, indicating a relatively homogeneous distribution.     

The DNA sequence of human chromosome 21

Chromosome 21 is the smallest human autosome. An extra copy of chromosome 21 causes Down syndrome, the most frequent genetic cause of significant mental retardation, which affects up to 1 in 700 live births. Several anonymous loci for monogenic disorders and predispositions for common complex disorders have also been mapped to this chromosome, and loss of heterozygosity has been observed in regions associated with solid tumours. Here we report the sequence and gene catalogue of the long arm of chromosome 21. We have sequenced 33,546,361 base pairs (bp) of DNA with very high accuracy, the largest contig being 25,491,867 bp. Only three small clone gaps and seven sequencing gaps remain, comprising about 100 kilobases. Thus, we achieved 99.7% coverage of 21q. We also sequenced 281,116 bp from the short arm. The structural features identified include duplications that are probably involved in chromosomal abnormalities and repeat structures in the telomeric and pericentromeric regions. Analysis of the chromosome revealed 127 known genes, 98 predicted genes and 59 pseudogenes.