Direct observation of structural defects in laser-deposited superconducting y-ba-cu-o thin films

The defect structure of in situ pulsed, laser-deposited, thin films of the high-transition temperature superconductor Y-Ba-Cu-O has been observed directly by atomic resolution electron microscopy. In a thin film with the nominal composition YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7) (123), stacking defects corresponding to the cationic stoichiometry of the 248, 247, and 224 compounds have been observed. Other defects observed include edge dislocations and antiphase boundaries. These defects, which are related to the nonequilibrium processing conditions, are likely to be responsible for the higher critical currents observed in these films as compared to single crystals.     

施氮对香稻某些生理效应的研究

用１个非和时稻品种Ｒａｔｎａ和３个香稻品种ＨＫＲ２２８，Ｂａｓｍａｔｉ３７０及ＣＢⅡ施氮和不施氮处理对比试验结果，施氮可使稻株光合作用，呼吸作用，植株含氮量提高。但是，施氮对光合作用的促进作用未达差异显著水平。对比非香稻品种Ｒａｔｎａ和春稻品种ＨＫＲ２２８，施氮对叶片呼吸作用促进作用前者大于后者。     

Yolk utilization and growth during the early larval life of the Silver Perch,Bidyanus bidyanus (Mitchell, 1838)

The aim of this research was to investigate the yolk sac and oil globule utilization by silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus) larvae produced from domesticated broodfish. The larvae were kept unfed in the holding tank, sampled, and investigated by image analysis software to determine various characteristics, such as the diameters of ova, water-hardened eggs, yolk-sac, oil globules, and the total length of larvae. The research illustrated that, with the exception of oil globule diameter, all other morphometric parameters were significantly lower (P < 0.05) when compared to the larvae from the wild broodfish. The yolk sac was completely absorbed at 96 h post-hatching (hph) and the oil globule was visible until 240 hph. The larvae exhibited predatory movements and tried to catch rotifer at 4 days post hatching (dph). However, the onset of feeding took place at 5 dph, while 100% of feeding occurred at 6 dph. During the first 96 h (h), larvae grew significantly faster than the next 144 h. Larvae encountered low mortalities (<10%) during the first 96 hph, before increasing significantly in the next 24 h and no unfed larvae survived post 240 h. The results also suggested that the exogenous feed should be available at 96 hph, which is well after the yolk sac is completely depleted. In addition, although most of eggs and larval performance from domesticated broodfish were inferior compared to the wild one, it has larger oil globule that could make longer of its mixed feeding period and therefore could have better in viability.     

Comparing the effects of dietary selenium and mannan oligosaccharide supplementation on the growth,immune function,and antioxidant enzyme activity in the cultured marron Cherax cainii (Austin, 2002)

This study was conducted to compare the effects of dietary supplementation of selenium (Se, both inorganic and organic) and mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) on the growth, immune function, and antioxidant enzyme activities in the haemolymph of the marron Cherax cainii (Austin, 2002); 0.4 mg kg^?1 of sodium selenate, 0.2 g kg^?1 Sel-Plex^®, or 0.4 % Bio-MOS^® was added to the basal diet as sources of inorganic selenium (IS), organic selenium (OS), and MOS, respectively. After 90 days, marron fed all 3 supplemented test diets had significantly higher final weight, specific growth rate (SGR), survival, total haemocyte count (THC), percentage of hyaline cells, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities than marron fed without any supplements. The marron fed OS showed significantly higher THC and percentage of hyaline cells than those fed IS and MOS. Marron fed MOS showed the highest final weight, SGR, and percentage of granular cells; however, there was no significant difference in the neutral red time retention between marron fed IS and OS, whereas marron fed OS resulted in the highest GPx activity and total Se levels in the haemolymph but the lowest lipid peroxidase activity; therefore, it is suggested that dietary supplementation with any source of Se and MOS is beneficial to improving growth, survival, and antioxidant activity.     

ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZA,AZOSPIRILLUM AND CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS APPLICATION TO BABY CORN (ZEA MAYS L.): EFFECTS ON PRODUCTIVITY,NUTRIENTS USE EFFICIENCY,ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY AND SOIL FERTILITY

The study was investigated at Agricultural Experimental Farm, Giridih, India during winter seasons of 2007–2008 and 2008–2009. Plants grown with 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) [nitrogen (N): phosphorus pentoxide (P₂O₅): potassium oxide (K₂O) = 150:60:60 kg ha^?1] + AM + Azospirillum (T₁₅) produced maximum chlorophyll, baby cob, and green fodder yield. Root biomass was highest with application of 150% RDF + arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) + Azospirillum (T₁₆). Co-inoculated plants produced higher chlorophyll, root biomass resulted higher cob and green fodder yield. Biofertilizers supplied along with chemical fertilizers saved 70, 29, and 33 kg N, P₂O₅ and K₂O per hectare, respectively. Nutrient (NPK) uptake was greatest in T_15. Residual soil fertility in terms of NPK was recorded maximum in T_16. Although, co-inoculated plots built up higher residual soil fertility as compare to sole inoculation. Nutrients use efficiency and benefit cost ratio were higher due to application of 50% RDF with co-inoculants. T₁₆ was most costly whereas T₁₄ (50% RDF + AM + Azospirillum) was most beneficial.     

High-resolution thin-film device to sense texture by touch

Touch (or tactile) sensors are gaining renewed interest as the level of sophistication in the application of minimum invasive surgery and humanoid robots increases. The spatial resolution of current large-area (greater than 1 cm(2)) tactile sensor lags by more than an order of magnitude compared with the human finger. By using metal and semiconducting nanoparticles, a approximately 100-nm-thick, large-area thin-film device is self-assembled such that the change in current density through the film and the electroluminescent light intensity are linearly proportional to the local stress. A stress image is obtained by pressing a copper grid and a United States 1-cent coin on the device and focusing the resulting electroluminescent light directly on the charge-coupled device. Both the lateral and height resolution of texture are comparable to the human finger at similar stress levels of approximately 10 kilopascals.     

Enhancing access to the Bibliome: the TREC 2004 Genomics Track

Background

The goal of the TREC Genomics Track is to improve information retrieval in the area of genomics by creating test collections that will allow researchers to improve and better understand failures of their systems. The 2004 track included an ad hoc retrieval task, simulating use of a search engine to obtain documents about biomedical topics. This paper describes the Genomics Track of the Text Retrieval Conference (TREC) 2004, a forum for evaluation of IR research systems, where retrieval in the genomics domain has recently begun to be assessed.

Results

A total of 27 research groups submitted 47 different runs. The most effective runs, as measured by the primary evaluation measure of mean average precision (MAP), used a combination of domain-specific and general techniques. The best MAP obtained by any run was 0.4075. Techniques that expanded queries with gene name lists as well as words from related articles had the best efficacy. However, many runs performed more poorly than a simple baseline run, indicating that careful selection of system features is essential.

Conclusion

Various approaches to ad hoc retrieval provide a diversity of efficacy. The TREC Genomics Track and its test collection resources provide tools that allow improvement in information retrieval systems.

     

The kinetics of feline leukaemia virus shedding in experimentally infected cats are associated with infection outcome

Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) infection in felids results mainly from oronasal exposure to infectious saliva and nasal secretions, but the potential for viral transmission through faeces and urine has not been completely characterized. In order to assess and compare potential FeLV transmission routes, we determined the viral kinetics in plasma, saliva, faeces and urine during early experimental FeLV infection (up to week 15 post-exposure) in specific pathogen-free cats. In addition to monitoring p27 antigen levels measured by ELISA, we evaluated the presence of infectious particles by cell culture assays and quantified viral RNA loads by a quantitative real-time TaqMan polymerase chain reaction. RNA load was associated with infection outcome (high load-progressive infection; low load-regressive infection) not only in plasma, but also in saliva, faeces and urine. Infectious virus was isolated from the saliva, faeces and urine of infected cats with progressive infection as early as 3-6 weeks post-infection, but usually not in cats with regressive infection. In cats with progressive infection, therefore, not only saliva but also faeces and to some extent urine might represent potential FeLV transmission routes. These results should be taken into account when modelling FeLV-host interactions and assessing FeLV transmission risk. Moreover, during early FeLV infection, detection of viral RNA in saliva may be used as an indicator of recent virus exposure, even in cats without detectable antigenaemia/viraemia. To determine the clinically relevant outcome of FeLV infection in exposed cats, however, p27 antigen levels in the peripheral blood should be measured.     

Molecular Marker based Genetic Diversity Analysis in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) using RAPD and SSR markers

The availability of an array of molecular marker systems allowed comparing the efficiency of two of these marker systems to estimate the relationships among various taxa. The objective of this study was to assess the genetic diversity among 40 cultivated varieties and five wild relatives of rice, Oryza sativa L. involving simple sequence repeat (SSR) randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. The accessions were evaluated for polymorphisms after amplification with 36 decamer primers and 38 SSR primer pairs. A total of 499 RAPD markers were produced among the 40 cultivated varieties and five wild relatives with a polymorphism percentage of 90.0. Out of 38 SSR primer pairs used, only one locus viz., RM115 was monomorphic. The average Polymorphism Information Content (PIC) value was 0.578 and it ranged from a low of zero (RM 115) to a high of 0.890 (RM 202). The Mantel matrix correspondence test was used to compare the similarity matrices and the correlation coefficient was 0. 582. The test indicated that clusters produced based on RAPD and SSR markers were not conserved since matrix correlation value was 0.582 as against the minimum required value of 0.800. The two marker systems contrasted most notably in pair-by-pair comparisons of relationships. SSR analysis resulted in a more definitive separation of clusters of genotypes indicating a higher level of efficiency of SSR markers for the accurate determination of relationships between accessions that are too close to be accurately differentiated by RAPD markers. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.