Effect of Fibers on the Performance of a Porous Friction Course.

In this paper, the preparation of a porous friction course (PFC) with styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS)-modified asphalt and fibers instead of a high-viscosity-modified asphalt was investigated. The aggregate gradation B was chosen to prepare the PFC, and the optimal asphalt content in the PFC containing lignin or basalt fibers was determined to be 4.5% by the Cantabro abrasion experiment and Schellenberg draindown experiment.

The temptin gene of the clade Lophotrochozoa is involved in formation of the prismatic layer during biomineralization in molluscs.

The biomineralization mechanism of mollusc shell has been studied for a long time, but there is a lack of understanding about the relationship between the shell formation in vitro and the signaling system in vivo. In this study, we cloned a novel shell matrix protein gene (hc-temptin), which only be characterized as a water-borne protein pheromone of molluscs in previous studies, from the freshwater mussel Hyriopsis cumingii. By bioinformatics analysis we found that temptin was a gene unique to the clade Lophotrochozoa, and it exists in all mollusc taxa except Cephalopoda.

Seasonal variation of Microcystis in Lake Taihu and its relationships with environmental factors.

In order to monitor the changes of Microcystis along with temporal and spatial variations, seasonal variation of Microcystis in Lake Taihu was investigated by 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (16S-23S rRNA-ITS DGGE) and microscopic evaluation. Samples were collected quarterly at four sites (River Mouth, Meiliang Bay, Cross Area, and Lake Center) from August 2006 to April 2007. Results showed that Microcystis dominated total phytoplankton abundance at the four sites in all seasons except winter.

[Mixture effects to vitellogenin induction by four environmental estrogens in freshwater fish].

Combined effects of estrogenic compounds to high risk life-form were demonstrated, and the study method on combined effects of environmental contaminant mixture and environmental risk assessment were also discussed. A nonlinear aggression was determined on the changes of plasma vitellogenin concentration in crucian carp via the environmental pollutant exposure concentration, and the concentration-response relationship was determined for the single chemical of estradiol, ethynylestradiol, bisphenol A, and octylphenol, and that of the mixed compounds at equipotent concentrations. The combined effects of the four xenoestrogens were tested using indices of mixture toxicity and the biomathematical models of concentration addition or independent action.

Negative phototropism of rice root and its influencing factors.

Some characteristics of the rice (Oryza sativa L.) root were found in the experiment of unilaterally irradiating the roots which were planted in water: (i) All the seminal roots, adventitious roots and their branched roots bent away from light, and their curvatures ranged from 25 degrees to 60 degrees . The curvature of adventitious root of the higher node was often larger than that of the lower node, and even larger than that of the seminal root, (ii) The negative phototropic bending of the rice root was mainly due to the larger growth increment of root-tip cells of the irradiated side compared with that of the shaded side, (iii) Root cap was the site of light perception.

[Comparison of overwintering and rrecruitment of cyanobacteria in Taihu Lake and Chaohn Lake].

Dynamics of overwintering and recruitment of cyanobacteria were studied in Taihu Lake and Chaohu Lake. The results demonstrated that cyanobacteria sank to the sediment in autumn (November) and recruited to water column in May in Taihu Lake. From November to next May, the cyanobacteria kept growing with an increased growth rate from March to May in the sediment.