A potential calcium antagonist and its antihypertensive effects

Imperatorin (Imp) as a hypotensive active ingredient, its hypotensive effect was evaluated in the SHRs, its calcium antagonism and affinity to L-type calcium channel was also confirmed. The results showed that the blood pressure was decreased in the SHRs treated with Imp, the aortic ring was relaxed with Imp, L-type calcium channel currents and intracellular calcium free ion rise was nearly disappeared when adding Imp. In addition, Imp displayed a chromatographic peak similar to nitrendipine and verapamil by the cell membrane chromatography, same results from protein–drug docking approaches. Hence, Imp target the L-type calcium channel, and may be used as a novel antihypertensive drug.     

Seasonal hydrography and tidal currents of bays and fjords in Prince William Sound,Alaska

Hydrography and tidal circulation are described for two deep fjords (Whale Bay and Eaglek Bay) and two shallow bays (Simpson Bay and Zaikof Bay) used as nursery habitat by juvenile Pacific herring (Clupea pallasi) in Prince William Sound, Alaska from October 1995 to March 1998. The seasonal hydrography varied markedly among the four locations due to the interaction of various factors including local climate, hydrology, advection of allochthonous glacial water, and vertical mixing from winds and tides. The fjords exhibited strong haline stratification in the summer that persisted into winter. In contrast, the bays exhibited brief periods of weak to strong stratification that dissipated early in the autumn. The timing of peak freshwater input also varied among locations depending on the maximum size and elevations of watersheds and the extent of precipitation stored within alpine snow and ice fields. In late winter (March), surface water in the fjords was relatively cold (1–3 °C) and slightly fresh (29–30 psu) in comparison to the bays (3.5–5.5 °C and 31–31.5 psu). The subsurface water (40–80 m) was warmer in the fjords (5–7 °C), whereas the bays exhibited vertically uniform temperature and salinity (T/S) properties. Tidal currents were typically highest near the mouth of most basins (35–150 cm s^?1) and exhibited horizontal and vertical shear in the summer and autumn. During these seasons, these flows created baroclinic currents within most basins, anticyclonic eddies at Simpson and Zaikof bays, and inflow of allochthonous glacial water at Whale Bay. Local climate and watershed hydrology of individual bays have a strong influence on water temperatures and haline stratification, which potentially affect production of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and growth and survival of age‐0 herring. Additionally, variability in transport of Gulf of Alaska derived carbon sources into nursery bays is dependent on geographical location and the physical features of each basin, such as maximum depths, presence or absence of sills, and spatial patterns in the winds and currents.     

The influence of ocean currents on latitude of landfall and migration speed of sockeye salmon returning to the Fraser River

We hypothesize that the interannual variability of the Northeast Pacific Ocean circulation affects the latitude of landfall and migration speed of adult sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) returning to the Fraser River. The Ocean Surface Current Simulations (OSCURS) model was used to simulate the return migration paths of compass-orientated sockeye for two years: 1982, which had a weak Alaska Gyre circulation and low Northern Diversion Rate (defined as the percentage of sockeye returning around the north end of Vancouver Island instead of the south end); and 1983, with a strong circulation and high northern diversion rate. The majority of model sockeye made landfall further north in 1983 than in 1982. The difference in landfall between 1983 and 1982 depended on the migration start position, swim speed, direction of orientation, and migration start date. The currents assisted the shoreward migration of sockeye starting from south of 55^o N and impeded the migration of sockeye starting from further north. The simulation results were consistent with our hypothesis and suggest that the effects of the Northeast Pacific currents must be included in sockeye migration models. We propose a conceptual model for the prediction of the Northern Diversion Rate that includes Blackbourn's (1987) temperature-displacement model, enhanced to include the effects of currents during the ocean phase of migration, and the use of two predictive formulas for the coastal phase of migration: the formula of Xie and Hsieh (1989) for sockeye approaching Vancouver Island directly from the ocean, and a yet-to-be-developed formula for sockeye approaching from within the Coastal Downwelling Domain directly to the north of Vancouver Island.     

Estimation of seasonal spawning ground locations and ambient sea surface temperatures for eggs and larvae of Pacific saury (Cololabis saira) in the western North Pacific

Since there have been practically no surveys of the eggs of Pacific saury (Cololabis saira) in the western North Pacific (WNP), its spawning ground (SG) distribution has been poorly resolved, based mainly on the larval distribution. This means of estimating SG distribution is imprecise because saury eggs drift for more than a week before they hatch, in a region with intense western boundary currents and their extensions. To improve our understanding of the immature saury, a large number of larvae (body length <25 mm) collected in the WNP during 1993–96 were numerically backtracked to take into account the advection by geostrophic and wind‐forced Ekman currents, and the SG locations and ambient sea surface temperatures (SSTs) for the eggs and larvae on the backtracking trajectories were estimated. The resulting seasonal distributions of SGs indicated that both the locations and the intensities of spawning change from season to season. Moreover, the ambient SSTs for eggs just after fertilization ranged from a high of around 21.5°C in early autumn (September to October) to a low of around 15.0°C in late spring (May to June) with an intermediate of around 20.0°C in winter (January to February). The ambient SSTs showed seasonally different gradients while the individuals developed from eggs to early larvae: the SSTs decreased throughout the autumn (September to December), stayed rather constant in winter (January to February), and increased throughout the spring (March to June). The ambient SSTs for the early larvae were at around 19.0°C in autumn and winter (September to February) and around 16.5°C throughout the spring (March to June).     

茶园风力除虫机通风管道三维数值模拟

为改进和优化茶园风力除虫机通风管道的结构,结合流体力学雷诺时均N–S方程、 Simple流场求解算法、к–ε湍流模型,利用Fluent软件对茶园风力除虫机通风管道进行了数值模拟计算,得到了风量为16 m3/min的中亚风机在空载状态下通风管道内部流场的特征.通过数值模拟计算分析,两进风口由相距400 mm缩短至280 mm时,出风口风速分布较均匀     

Development and experiments of direct resistance heating in hot forging

A new hot-forging method by means of direct resistance heating is investigated aiming at the long produce time and large energy consumption of traditional hot forging. The hot upsetting experiments with cylindrical billet of 42CrMo4 are performed. The influences of initial contact force, surface quality of the billet and current intensity on the heating temperature are researched. The results of the experiments show that the billet can be heated quickly to forming temperature by the approach. The relatively low initial contact force is useful to increase the heating temperature. The heating temperature is proportional to the square of the current intensity, and the heating temperature is seriously affected by the surface quality. During the forming process the billet cooling rate is effectively decreased and the forming time is extended in relation to the resistance heating.     

Currents, landscape structure, and recruitment success along a passive–active dispersal gradient

There exists a gradient in dispersal behavior from passive to active, which reflects organisms’ dependence upon currents vs. self-propelled movement. We asked: Do currents modify organism–landscape interactions to influence recruitment success along this dispersal gradient? Using a spatially-explicit cellular model, we simulated the recruitment success of three generalized dispersal strategies (walkers, swimmers, and drifters) through hierarchically structured benthic landscapes. We evaluated the relative recruitment success (recruited population size, overall area occupied, time to recruit) of the three dispersal strategies in similar landscapes, as well as the consequences of varying the total proportion of habitat suitable for recruitment, and the scale and pattern of habitat patchiness on recruitment success. In the presence of currents, swimmers and drifters generally recruited over larger areas and in less time than walkers. Differences among the dispersal strategies’ recruitment success were most pronounced when an intermediate number of good habitat cells (16–48% of landscape) were broadly dispersed across the landscape. Although recruitment success always increased with increasing proportion of good habitat, drifters were more sensitive, and swimmers less sensitive, to these landscape changes than walkers. We also found that organisms dispersing within currents typically responded non-linearly (logarithmically or exponentially) to increasing proportion of total good habitat, whereas walkers more often responded linearly.     

Environmental conditions and physiological state influence estuarine movements of homing sockeye salmon

The reproductive migration of anadromous salmonids through estuarine waters is one of the most challenging stages of their life cycle, yet little is known about the environmental and physiological conditions that influence migratory behaviour. We captured, sampled tissues, tagged and released 365 sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) homing through inner coastal waters towards the Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada. Biotelemetry was used to assess the behaviour of individual sockeye salmon approaching estuarine waters and at river entry, which were related to both fish physiological condition at release and to prevailing environmental conditions. Sockeye salmon tended to stay close to the shore, migrated during the day, and movements were related to tide. Sockeye salmon migration rate was linked to wind‐induced currents, salinity and an individual's physiological state, but these factors were specific to location and stock. We propose that wind‐induced currents exposed sockeye salmon entering the estuary to stronger olfactory cues associated with Fraser River water, which in turn resulted in faster migration rates presumably due to either an increased ability for olfactory navigation and/or advanced reproductive schedule through a neuroendocrine response to olfactory cues. However, once the migration had progressed further into more concentrated freshwater of the river plume, sockeye salmon presumably used wind‐induced currents to aid in movements towards the river, which may be associated with energy conservation. Results from this study improve our biological understanding of the movements of Fraser River sockeye salmon and are also broadly relevant to other anadromous salmonids homing in marine environments.     

Interannual and spatial variation in the population genetic composition of young‐of‐the‐year Pacific ocean perch (Sebastes alutus) in the Gulf of Alaska

Little is known about the population structure of Alaskan rockfishes, including Pacific ocean perch (POP, Sebastes alutus), and how persistent and variable oceanographic features may influence their structures. Moreover, early life history information is sparse for many species. We used data from 14 microsatellite loci to characterize the genetic structure of young‐of‐the‐year Pacific ocean perch collected during 1998–2003 from the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea. Broad‐scale geographic variation in genetic structure of the young‐of‐the‐year (F_ST = 0.005, P < 10^?4) had similarities to that observed in a previous adult study. The overall correlation between genetic and geographic distance (isolation by distance) was nearly identical to that observed in the adults. Fine‐scale geographic divergence was also observed and may be the result of oceanographic circulation features within the Gulf of Alaska. Interannual variation (between cohorts) at locations sampled in more than one year is consistent with variable oceanography and fine‐scale population structure rather than the influence of a sweepstakes effect. The similarities of the young‐of‐the‐year with the adults and the pattern of genetic divergence confirm that dispersal of Pacific ocean perch is limited in all life stages.     

基于精确反馈线性化的单相并联APF电流滑模控制

有源电力滤波器(active power filter,APF)作为一种谐波和无功补偿装置,能够实时动态地跟踪并补偿电网中的谐波。该文针对单极性调制的单相并联APF进行了分析和数学建模;基于精确反馈线性化理论,重新构造了单相APF仿射非线性系统的输出函数;在此基础上通过非线性坐标变换将原系统转化为完全能控的线性系统,并在映射的微分同胚系统中设计了一个相对阶为r(r=2)的滑模控制器实现了对补偿电流的精确控制。所提方法在实现对APF输出电流精确控制的同时,简化了控制系统的总体设计。在Matlab仿真试验中,通过与传统PI控制的单相APF的补偿效果进行对比:采用传统PI控制和该文所提控制方法的单相APF补偿后的电流总谐波失真(total harmonic distortion,THD)分别为3.83%和1.18%,后者的动态性能也优于前者,验证了基于精确反馈线性化的滑模控制方式的优越性。最后,搭建试验平台佐证了该文所研究控制方法具有良好的动态响应、稳态性能以及鲁棒性。该研究可为今后单相APF和三相APF的控制方式改进提供参考。