Woody plant taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic diversity decrease along elevational gradients in Andean tropical montane forests:Environmental filtering and arrival of temperate taxa

Mountains are paramount for exploring biodiversity patterns due to the mosaic of topographies and climates encompassed over short distances.Biodiversity research has traditionally focused on taxonomic diversity when investigating changes along elevational gradients,but other facets should be considered.For first time,we simultaneously assessed elevational trends in taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic diversity of woody plants in Andean tropical montane forests and explored their underlying ecological and evolutionary causes.This investigation covered four transects(traversing ca.2200 m a.s.l.) encompassing 114 plots of 0.1 ha across a broad latitudinal range(ca.10°).Using Hill numbers to quantify abundance-based diversity among 37,869 individuals we observed a consistent decrease in taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic diversity as elevation increased,although the decrease was less pronounced for higher Hill orders.The exception was a slight increase in phylogenetic diversity when dominant species were over-weighted.The decrease in taxonomic and functional diversity might be attributed to an environmental filtering process towards highlands,where the increasingly harsher conditions exclude species and functional strategies.Besides,the differences in steepness decrease between Hill orders suggest that rare species disproportionately contribute to functional diversity.For phylogenetic diversity the shifting elevational trend between Hill orders indicates a greater than previously considered influence in central Andean highlands of tropical lowlands originated species with strong niche conservatism relative to distantly related temperate lineages.This could be explained by a decreasing presence and abundance of temperate,extratropical taxa towards the central Andes relative to northern or southern Andes,where they are more prevalent.

Environment-driven intraspecific variation shows coordination of functional traits of deciduous oaks among and within different biological levels

Deciduous oaks(Quercus spp.)are distributed from subalpine to tropical regions in the northern hemi-sphere and have important roles as carbon sinks and in climate change mitigation.Determining variations in plant functional traits at multiple biological levels and linking them to environmental variables across geographical ranges is important for forecasting range-shifts of broadly-distrib-uted species under climate change.We sampled leaves of five deciduous Quercus spp.covering approximately 20°of latitude(~21°N-41°N)and 20 longitude(~99°E-119°E)across China and measured 12 plant functional traits at different biological levels.The traits varied distinctively,either within each biological level or among different levels driven by climatic and edaphic variables.Traits at the organ level were significantly correlated with those at the cellular and tissue levels,while traits at the whole-plant level only correlated with those at the tissue level.The Quercus species responded to changing environments by regulating stomatal size,leaf thickness and the palisade mesophyll thickness to leaf thickness ratios with contrasting degree of effect to adjust the whole-plant functioning,i.e.,intrinsic water use efficiency(iWUE),carbon supply and nitrogen availability.The results suggest that these deciduous Quercus spp.will maintain vigour by increasing iWUE when subjected to large temperature changes and insufficient moisture,and by accu-mulating leaf non-structural carbohydrates under drought conditions.The findings provide new insights into the inher-ent variation and trait coordination of widely distributed tree species in the context of climate change.

Functionally graded structure of a nitride-strengthened Mg_(2)Si-based hybrid composite

The ex-situ incorporation of the secondary SiC reinforcement,along with the in-situ incorporation of the tertiary and quaternary Mg_(3)N_(2) and Si_(3)N_(4) phases,in the primary matrix of Mg_(2)Si is employed in order to provide ultimate wear resistance based on the laser-irradiation-induced inclusion of N_(2) gas during laser powder bed fusion.This is substantialized based on both the thermal diffusion-and chemical reactionbased metallurgy of the Mg_(2)Si–SiC/nitride hybrid composite.This study also proposes a functional platform for systematically modulating a functionally graded structure and modeling build-direction-dependent architectonics during additive manufacturing.This strategy enables the development of a compositional gradient from the center to the edge of each melt pool of the Mg_(2)Si–SiC/nitride hybrid composite.Consequently,the coefficient of friction of the hybrid composite exhibits a 309.3%decrease to–1.67 compared to–0.54 for the conventional nonreinforced Mg_(2)Si structure,while the tensile strength exhibits a 171.3%increase to 831.5 MPa compared to 485.3 MPa for the conventional structure.This outstanding mechanical behavior is due to the(1)the complementary and synergistic reinforcement effects of the SiC and nitride compounds,each of which possesses an intrinsically high hardness,and(2)the strong adhesion of these compounds to the Mg_(2)Si matrix despite their small sizes and low concentrations.

Dynamic stability analysis of porous functionally graded beams under hygro-thermal loading using nonlocal strain gradient integral model

We present a study on the dynamic stability of porous functionally graded(PFG)beams under hygro-thermal loading.The variations of the properties of the beams across the beam thicknesses are described by the power-law model.Unlike most studies on this topic,we consider both the bending deformation of the beams and the hygro-thermal load as size-dependent,simultaneously,by adopting the equivalent differential forms of the well-posed nonlocal strain gradient integral theory(NSGIT)which are strictly equipped with a set of constitutive boundary conditions(CBCs),and through which both the stiffness-hardening and stiffness-softening effects of the structures can be observed with the length-scale parameters changed.All the variables presented in the differential problem formulation are discretized.The numerical solution of the dynamic instability region(DIR)of various bounded beams is then developed via the generalized differential quadrature method(GDQM).After verifying the present formulation and results,we examine the effects of different parameters such as the nonlocal/gradient length-scale parameters,the static force factor,the functionally graded(FG)parameter,and the porosity parameter on the DIR.Furthermore,the influence of considering the size-dependent hygro-thermal load is also presented.

Wave propagation responses of porous bi-directional functionally graded magneto-electro-elastic nanoshells via nonlocal strain gradient theory

This study examines the wave propagation characteristics for a bi-directional functional grading of barium titanate(BaTiO_(3)) and cobalt ferrite(CoFe_(2)O_(4)) porous nanoshells,the porosity distribution of which is simulated by the honeycomb-shaped symmetrical and asymmetrical distribution functions.The nonlocal strain gradient theory(NSGT) and first-order shear deformation theory are used to determine the size effect and shear deformation,respectively.Nonlocal governing equations are derived for the nanoshells by Hamilton's principle.The resulting dimensionless differential equations are solved by means of an analytical solution of the combined exponential function after dimensionless treatment.Finally,extensive parametric surveys are conducted to investigate the influence of diverse parameters,such as dimensionless scale parameters,radiusto-thickness ratios,bi-directional functionally graded(FG) indices,porosity coefficients,and dimensionless electromagnetic potentials on the wave propagation characteristics.Based on the analysis results,the effect of the dimensionless scale parameters on the dispersion relationship is found to be related to the ratio of the scale parameters.The wave propagation characteristics of nanoshells in the presence of a magnetoelectric field depend on the bi-directional FG indices.

Bending and wave propagation analysis of axially functionally graded beams based on a reformulated strain gradient elasticity theory

A new size-dependent axially functionally graded(AFG) micro-beam model is established with the application of a reformulated strain gradient elasticity theory(RSGET). The new micro-beam model incorporates the strain gradient, velocity gradient,and couple stress effects, and accounts for the material variation along the axial direction of the two-component functionally graded beam. The governing equations and complete boundary conditions of the AFG beam are derived based on Hamilton's principle. The correctness of the current model is verified by comparing the static behavior results of the current model and the finite element model(FEM) at the micro-scale. The influence of material inhomogeneity and size effect on the static and dynamic responses of the AFG beam is studied. The numerical results show that the static and vibration responses predicted by the newly developed model are different from those based on the classical model at the micro-scale. The new model can be applied not only in the optimization of micro acoustic wave devices but also in the design of AFG micro-sensors and micro-actuators.

Generalized functional model of maximum and minimum detectable deformation gradient for PALSAR interferometry

Empirical functional models for the maximum and minimum detectable deformation gradient of PALSAR interferometry were established based on coherence and discrete look numbers. Then, a least square regression method was used to fit the model coefficients and thus obtain the generalized functional models for both coherence and look numbers. The experimental results with ALOS PALSAR data of Wenchuan earthquake of China show that the new model works well for judging whether the deformation gradient can be detected by the D-InSAR technology or not. The results can help researchers to choose PALSAR data and to configure processing parameters, and also benefit the interpretation of the measured surface deformation.

DESIGN AND PROPERTIES OF A FUNCTIONALLY GRADIENT CERAMIC TOOL MATERIAL

Based on the analyses of the severity of cutting process as well as the failure mechanisms of ceramic tools, a model for designing functionally gradient ceramic tool materials with symmetrical distribution is presented, by which a Al 2O 3/(W,Ti)C ceramic tool material FG 2 was developed. Multi objective optimization method was employed in designing the compositional distribution of this ceramic tool material. The results of both continuous and intermittent cutting tests are indicative of the much better cutting behavior of the functionally gradient ceramic tool FG 2 than that of the common ceramic tool SG 4.

Centrifugal casting processes of manufacturing in situ functionally gradient composite materials of Al-19Si-5Mg alloy

Cylindrical components of in situ functionally gradient composite materials of Al-19Si-5Mg alloy were manufactured by centrifugal casting. Microstructure characteristics of the manufactured components were observed and the effects of the used process factors on these characteristics were analyzed. The results of observations shows that, in thickness, the components possess microstructures accumulating lots of Mg2Si particles and a portion of primary silicon particles in the inner layer, a little MgzSi and primary silicon particles in the outer layer, and without any Mg2Si and primary silicon particle in the middle layer. The results of the analysis indicate that the rotation rate of centrifugal casting, mould temperature, and melt pouring temperature have evidently affected the accumulation of the second phase particles. Also, the higher the centrifugal rotation rate, mould temperature, and melt pouring temperature are, the more evident in the inner layer the degree of accumulation of Mg2Si and primary silicon particles is.

NVESTIGATION OF PRODUCTOPN OF FUNCTIONALLY GRADIENT MATERIAL BY ELECTROLESS PLATING

Thispaper proposed a new methodof producing Ceramic/ Metalfunctionally gradient mate rialby electroless platingtechnique. The experimentof producing SiC/ Ni PFGM wascar ried out with self made electroless plating facilities. The results show that the thickness of FGMcoating andthegradientdistribution ofcompositioncanbecontrolled byoptimizingelec trolessplating technology and changing the parameters such as plating time, the additionspeed and concentration of SiCparticles. Analysisdemonstratesthatthereisastrongrelation ship amongthe SiCcontent,the microstructureandthe mechanicalproperty ofthe FGM.

An analytical study of vibration in functionally graded piezoelectric nanoplates: nonlocal strain gradient theory

In this paper,we analytically study vibration of functionally graded piezoelectric(FGP)nanoplates based on the nonlocal strain gradient theory.The top and bottom surfaces of the nanoplate are made of PZT-5H and PZT-4,respectively.We employ Hamilton’s principle and derive the governing differential equations.Then,we use Navier’s solution to obtain the natural frequencies of the FGP nanoplate.In the first step,we compare our results with the obtained results for the piezoelectric nanoplates in the previous studies.In the second step,we neglect the piezoelectric effect and compare our results with those obtained for the functionally graded(FG)nanoplates.Finally,the effects of the FG power index,the nonlocal parameter,the aspect ratio,and the lengthto-thickness ratio,and the nanoplate shape on natural frequencies are investigated.

Relationship Between Thermal Shock Behavior and Cutting Performance of a Functionally Gradient Ceramic Tool

Based on the deep understanding of the requirements of cutting conditions on ceramic tools, a design model for functionally gradient ceramic tool materials with symmetrical composition distribution was presented in this paper, according to which an Al 2O 3-TiC functionally gradient ceramic tool material FG-1 was synthesized by powder-laminating and uniaxially hot-pressing technique. The thermal shock resistance of the Al 2O 3-TiC functionally gradient ceramics FG-1 was evaluated by water quenching and subsequent three-point bending tests of flexural strength diminution. Comparisons were made with results from parallel experiments conducted using a homogeneous Al 2O 3-TiC ceramics. Functionally gradient ceramics exhibited higher retained strength under all thermal shock temperature differences compared to homogeneous ceramics, indicating the higher thermal shock resistance. The experimental results were supported by the calculation of transient thermal stress field. The cutting performance of the Al 2O 3-TiC functionally gradient ceramic tool FG-1 was also investigated in rough turning the cylindrical surface of exhaust valve of diesel engine in comparison with that of a common Al 2O 3-TiC ceramic tool LT55. The results indicated that the tool life of FG-1 increased by 50 percent over that of LT55. Tool life of LT55 was mainly controlled by thermal shock cracking which was accompanied by mechanical shock. While tool life of FG-1 was mainly controlled by mechanical fatigue crack extension rather than thermal shock cracking, revealing the less thermal shock susceptibility of functionally gradient ceramics than that of common ceramics.

A nonlocal strain gradient shell model incorporating surface effects for vibration analysis of functionally graded cylindrical nanoshells

In this pap er, a novel size-dep endent functionally graded (FG) cylindrical shell model is develop ed based on the nonlocal strain gradient theory in conjunction with the Gurtin-Murdoch surface elasticity theory . The new model containing a nonlocal parameter, a material length scale parameter, and several surface elastic constants can capture three typical typ es of size e ects simultaneously , which are the nonlocal stress ef- fect, the strain gradient e ect, and the surface energy e ects. With the help of Hamilton’s principle and rst-order shear deformation theory , the non-classical governing equations and related b oundary conditions are derived. By using the prop osed model, the free vibra- tion problem of FG cylindrical nanoshells with material prop erties varying continuously through the thickness according to a p ower-law distribution is analytically solved, and the closed-form solutions for natural frequencies under various b oundary conditions are obtained. After verifying the reliability of the prop osed model and analytical method by comparing the degenerated results with those available in the literature, the in uences of nonlocal parameter, material length scale parameter, p ower-law index, radius-to-thickness ratio, length-to-radius ratio, and surface e ects on the vibration characteristic of func- tionally graded cylindrical nanoshells are examined in detail.

Crack tip field in functionally gradient material with exponential variation of elastic constants in two directions

This paper presents an exact solution of the crack tip field in functionally gradient material with exponential variation of elastic constants. The dimensionless Poisson＇s ratios v0 of the engineering materials （iron, glass …… ） are far less than one; therefore, neglecting them, one can simplify the basic equation and the exact solution is easy to obtain. Although the exact solution for the case v0 ≠ 0 is also obtained, it is very complicated and the main result is the same with the case v0 = 0 （it will be dealt with in Appendix VII）. It has been found that the exponential term exp（ax ＋ by） in the constitutive equations becomes exp（ ax /2 ＋ by/2- kr /2 ） in the exact solution.

Variation in Plant Functional Traits along Altitudinal Gradient and Land Use Types in Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone, Nepal

Functional traits are predictors of plants in response to environmental stimuli. They represent specific functional adaptations to various environmental stresses. This study deals with the variation in plant functional traits along elevation gradient and land-use types in Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone, Nepal. Two field investigations in April and September, 2011 were made to collect samples. Sampling was done from 2200 - 3800 m asl varying approx. 400 m. East and west facing aspects of each valley were chosen. In each aspect four land-use type categories including disturbed (cultivated land, exploited forest and meadow) and less disturbed natural forest were selected. A transect of 25 m long and 2.5 m wide was laid. Different eight traits of plants including lifeform, plant height, clonality, spinescence, leaf dry matter content, stem specific density, twig dry matter content and twig drying time were examined for 60 plant species belonging to 31 families, collected from 40 sampled plots. Nine different types of growth forms were recorded. Plant height of the investigated species ranged from 0.03 - 15 m. The stolon consisting species were dominant in exploited forests. Diversity of clonal species was more in meadow and non-clonal species were dominant in all the altitudes. Only eight species consisted of spines. In the disturbed land-use categories, we found high variation in a particular trait. Correlation analyses revealed the significant relationship (p < 0.01) among different traits. Herbs and shrubs were dominant at higher elevation and in disturbed land-use categories. Species from high altitude were mostly short basal herbs, while spinescence and tall trees were observed at lower altitudes. Species recorded in meadows and exploited forests showed high variation in traits due to disturbance mainly grazing, fire, litter collection and trampling. Altitudinal variation, climatic conditions and disturbance most strongly influence trait expression in the study area.

Characteristics of two Al based functionally gradient composites reinforced by primary Si particles and Si/in situ Mg_2Si particles in centrifugal casting

Two kinds of Al based functionally gradient composite tubes reinforced by primary Si particles alone and primary Si/in situ Mg2Si particles jointly were successfully prepared by centrifugal casting,and their structural and mechanical characters were compared.It is found that the composite reinforced with primary Si particles takes a characteristic of particles distribution both in the inner and outer layers.However,composite reinforced with primary Si/Mg2Si particles jointly takes a characteristic of particles distribution only in the inner layer and shows a sudden change of particles distribution across the section of inner and outer layers.The hardness and wear resistance of Al-19Si-5Mg tube in the inner layer are greatly higher than that in the other layers of Al-19Si-5Mg tube and Al-19Si tube.Theoretical analysis reveals that the existence of Mg2Si particles is the key factor to form this sudden change of gradient distribution of two kinds of particles.Because Mg2Si particles with a lower density have a higher centripetal moving velocity than primary Si particles,in a field of centrifugal force,they would collide with primary Si particles and then impel the later to move together forward to the inner layer of the tube.

Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase:ion pump,signal transducer,or cytoprotective protein,and novel biological functions

Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase is a transmembrane protein that has important roles in the maintenance of electrochemical gradients across cell membranes by transporting three Na^(+)out of and two K^(+)into cells.Additionally,Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase participates in Ca^(2+)-signaling transduction and neurotransmitter release by coordinating the ion concentration gradient across the cell membrane.Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase works synergistically with multiple ion channels in the cell membrane to form a dynamic network of ion homeostatic regulation and affects cellular communication by regulating chemical signals and the ion balance among different types of cells.Therefo re,it is not surprising that Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase dysfunction has emerged as a risk factor for a variety of neurological diseases.However,published studies have so far only elucidated the important roles of Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase dysfunction in disease development,and we are lacking detailed mechanisms to clarify how Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase affects cell function.Our recent studies revealed that membrane loss of Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase is a key mechanism in many neurological disorders,particularly stroke and Parkinson's disease.Stabilization of plasma membrane Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase with an antibody is a novel strategy to treat these diseases.For this reason,Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase acts not only as a simple ion pump but also as a sensor/regulator or cytoprotective protein,participating in signal transduction such as neuronal autophagy and apoptosis,and glial cell migration.Thus,the present review attempts to summarize the novel biological functions of Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase and Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase-related pathogenesis.The potential for novel strategies to treat Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase-related brain diseases will also be discussed.

ANTI-PLANE SHEAR CRACK IN A FUNCTIONALLY GRADIENT PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIAL

The main objective of this paper is to study the singular natureof the crack-tip stress and electric displacement field in afunctionally gradient piezoelectric medium having materialcoefficients with a discontinuous derivative. The problem isconsidered for the simplest possible loading and geometry, namely,the anti-plane shear stress and electric displacement in -plane oftwo bonded half spaces in which the crack is parallel to theinterface.

Electrical, Thermal, and Mechanical Properties of Cu/Ti3AlC2 Functional Gradient Materials Prepared by Low-temperature Spark Plasma Sintering

Cu/Ti3AlC2 composite and functional-gradient materials with excellent electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity as well as good flexural properties were prepared by low-temperature spark plasma sintering of Cu and Ti3AlC2 powder mixtures. The phase compositions of the materials were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, and their microstructure was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Further, the electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and flexural properties of the materials were tested. Results show that, for the composite materials, the resistivity rises from 0.75 × 10^-7 Ω·m only to 1.32 × 10^-7 Ω·m and the thermal diffusivity reduces from 82.5 mm^2/s simply to 39.8 mm^2/s, while the flexural strength improves from 412.9 MPa to 471.3 MPa, as the content of Ti3AlC2 is increased from 5 wt%to 25 wt%. Additionally, the functional-gradient materials sintered without interface between the layers exhibit good designability, and their overall electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and flexural strength are all higher than those of the corresponding uniform composite material.

An All‑In‑One Multifunctional Touch Sensor with Carbon‑Based Gradient Resistance Elements

Human–machine interactions using deep-learning methods are important in the research of virtual reality,augmented reality,and metaverse.Such research remains challenging as current interactive sensing interfaces for single-point or multipoint touch input are trapped by massive crossover electrodes,signal crosstalk,propagation delay,and demanding configuration requirements.Here,an all-inone multipoint touch sensor(AIOM touch sensor)with only two electrodes is reported.The AIOM touch sensor is efficiently constructed by gradient resistance elements,which can highly adapt to diverse application-dependent configurations.Combined with deep learning method,the AIOM touch sensor can be utilized to recognize,learn,and memorize human–machine interactions.A biometric verification system is built based on the AIOM touch sensor,which achieves a high identification accuracy of over 98%and offers a promising hybrid cyber security against password leaking.Diversiform human–machine interactions,including freely playing piano music and programmatically controlling a drone,demonstrate the high stability,rapid response time,and excellent spatiotemporally dynamic resolution of the AIOM touch sensor,which will promote significant development of interactive sensing interfaces between fingertips and virtual objects.