Physical Properties of Crushed Air-cooled Blast Furnace Slag and Numerical Representation of Its Morphology Characteristics

Physical properties and geometrical morphologies of crushed air-cooled blast furnace slag （SCR） and crushed limestone （LCR） were comparatively investigated. The shape, angularity, surface texture and internal pore structure of aggregate particles for different size and gradation were numerically represented by sphericity （ψ） and shape index （SI）, angularity number （AN）, index of aggregate particle shape and texture （IAPST）, porosity and pore size, respectively. The results show that SCR is a porous and rough aggregate. Apparent density, void, water absorption and smashing index of SCR are obviously higher than those of LCR with the same gradation, respectively. However, bulk density of SCR is lower than that of LCR with the same gradation. SI, AN, IAPST and porosity of SCR are obviously higher than those of LCR with the same gradation, respectively. The smaller particle size of SCR, the larger of its AN, IAPST and porosity.

First record of abnormal body coloration in a rockfish Sebastes koreanus(Scorpaenoidei:Sebastidae)from coastal water of China based on morphological characteristics and DNA barcoding

The first record of abnormal body coloration in Sebastes koreanus Kim and Lee,1994,from the Yellow Sea of China,was documented based on morphological characteristics and DNA barcoding.The two rockfish specimens were collected from the coastal waters of Qingdao,China,and the whole body and all fins of them were red.Of the two red-colored rockfish,there were tiny deep red spots on each fin,2 red radial stripes behind and below the eyes and 1 large deep red blotch on the opercula,while the similar stripe and spot patterns are also present in the S.koreanus specimens with normal body coloration.The countable characteristics of the two specimens are in the range of the morphometry of S.koreanus.To further clarify the species identity and taxonomic status of the two specimens,DNA barcode analysis was carried out.The genetic distance between the red-colored rockfish and S.koreanus was 0,and the minimum net genetic distances between the red-colored rockfish and other Sebastes species except for S.koreanus were 3.0%,which exceeds the threshold of species delimitation.The phylogenetic analysis showed that the DNA barcoding sequences of the two red-colored rockfish clustered with the S.koreanus sequences.The above results of DNA barcode analysis also support that the two red-colored rockfish could be identified as the species of S.koreanus.The mechanism of color variation in S.koreanus is desirable for further research and the species could be an ideal model to study the color-driven speciation of the rockfishes.

Morphology characteristics of α precipitates related to the crystal defects and the strain accommodation of variant selection in a metastableβtitanium alloy

Profound and comprehensive investigations on the morphology characteristics ofαprecipitates are essential for the microstructural control of metastableβtitanium alloys.At the very beginning of aging treatment,intragranularαprecipitates with a dot-like morphology begin to generate nearby the dislocations,then those dot-likeαprecipitates with the same crystallographic orientation tend to connect with each other to develop a lath-like morphology.With the progress of aging treatment,the orientated lath-likeαprecipitates gradually combine with each other to form the V-shaped clusters or the triangular ones.The dislocations of{110}_(β)<111>βedge type are evidenced within theβgrains,and it is found that variant selection ofαprecipitates induced by the transformation strain and the interplay betweenαvariants and the dislocations are confirmed as the key factors for the formation of the V-shaped or triangular clusters.The results of this work could provide underlying knowledge on the morphology characteristics of intraguranularαprecipitates related to the crystal defects and the strain accommodation ofαvariants in metastableβtitanium alloys.

Analysis of morphological characteristics of gravels based on digital image processing technology and self-organizing map

A comprehensive understanding of spatial distribution and clustering patterns of gravels is of great significance for ecological restoration and monitoring.However,traditional methods for studying gravels are low-efficiency and have many errors.This study researched the spatial distribution and cluster characteristics of gravels based on digital image processing technology combined with a self-organizing map(SOM)and multivariate statistical methods in the grassland of northern Tibetan Plateau.Moreover,the correlation of morphological parameters of gravels between different cluster groups and the environmental factors affecting gravel distribution were analyzed.The results showed that the morphological characteristics of gravels in northern region(cluster C)and southern region(cluster B)of the Tibetan Plateau were similar,with a low gravel coverage,small gravel diameter,and elongated shape.These regions were mainly distributed in high mountainous areas with large topographic relief.The central region(cluster A)has high coverage of gravels with a larger diameter,mainly distributed in high-altitude plains with smaller undulation.Principal component analysis(PCA)results showed that the gravel distribution of cluster A may be mainly affected by vegetation,while those in clusters B and C could be mainly affected by topography,climate,and soil.The study confirmed that the combination of digital image processing technology and SOM could effectively analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of gravels,providing a new mode for gravel research.

Morphological characteristics and atomic evolution behavior of nanojoints in Ag nanowire interconnect network

Ag nanowires(AgNWs)have shown great application value in the field of flexible electronics due to their excellent optical and electrical properties,and the quality of its joints of AgNWs in the thin film network directly plays a key role in its performance.In order to further improve the joint quality of AgNWs under thermal excitation,the thermal welding process and atomic evolution behavior of AgNWs were investigated through a combination of in situ experimental and molecular dynamics simulations.The influence of processing time,temperature,and stress distribution due to spatial arrangement on nanojoints was systematically explored.What is more,the failure mechanisms and their atomic interface behavior of the nanojoints were also investigated.

Fine Root Distribution Characteristics of Populus cathayana Plantations at Different Ages in Alpine Sandy Land

[Objectives]The paper was to study the fine root distribution characteristics of Populus cathayana plantations at different ages in alpine sandy land.[Methods]With 5,10,15,20,and 25 years old P.cathayana plantation in the eastern margin of Gonghe Basin,Qinghai Province as the research objects,fine roots were collected by root core drilling method,and the differences of fine root biomass,root length density,average diameter and root tip number at the soil depths of 0-20,20-40,40-60,60-80 and 80-100 cm were analyzed.[Results]The total biomass density of P.cathayana plantation was mainly distributed in the soil layer of 0-60 cm,accounting for 76%of the entire soil layer,and its value increased with the increase in forest age.With the increase in different forest ages,the root length density,average diameter and root tip number of living fine roots in the soil layer of 0-60 cm accounted for 74%-81%of the entire soil layer,and the proportions in the soil layers of 60-80 and 80-100 cm were 9%-11%.The biomass density,root length density,average diameter and root tip number of living and dead fine roots of P.cathayana plantation increased with the increase of forest age.The root length density,average diameter and root tip number of P.cathayana fine roots showed a linear function change trend with the growth of forest age,which could be described by the linear function equation y=ax+b(a>0).The analysis results showed that the root length density,average diameter and root tip number of P.cathayana were significantly correlated with the total biomass density of fine roots,and the root length density and average diameter had an extremely positive correlation with the total biomass density.[Conclusions]In the future,P.cathayana plantation should be properly tended to promote the development of fine roots and maximize its ecological benefits.

Ethnobotanical Knowledge of Local Cassava Varieties and Characteristics Desired by Farmers in Sierra Leone

It has been observed that farmers adopt only a small number of the “improved” cultivars. A nationwide germplasm collection exercise in February 2018 provided the opportunity to collect indigenous technical knowledge (ITK) of the diversity of cassava varieties in terms of: their morphology, growth characteristics, uses (of tubers and leaves) and desirable characteristics. The objective is to see to what extent the objectives of the plant breeders are consistent with what farmers’ value. We performed 405 structured and semi-structured interviews with informants who were selected based on “purposive household sampling”. We found a considerable turn-over in cassava varieties, just over a third (45) have been in cultivation for at least 40 years, however, since the end of the civil war an additional 25 varieties are cultivated, while others varieties seem to have disappeared. One major issue with estimating turnover of varieties is whether the same variety might have several local names, and conversely the same name may be applied to different cultivars. Farmers overwhelmingly use ITK to select and preserve cassava germplasm for future use. Farmers have a clear preference for: sweet taste, high yield, early maturity and easy cooking and preferentially adopt cultivars that have those qualities. Cassava is primarily a human food eaten boiled or fried, some are processed into fufu and gari, and uses as livestock feed and medicine are reported but at low levels. The information produced during this study could help plant breeders choose selection criteria that will ensure their efforts are adopted and sustainable, the importance of preserving the genetic resources of local cultivars is also highlighted.

Review of the characteristics and graded utilisation of coal gasification slag

The characteristics of the energy structure of rich coal,less oil and less gas,coupling with a high external dependence on oil and natural gas and the emphasis on the efficient and clean utilisation of coal,have brought opportunities for coal chemical industry.However,with the large-scale popularisation of coal gasification technology,the production and resulting storage of coal gasification slag continue to increase,which not only result in serious environmental pollution and a waste of terrestrial resources,but also seriously affect the sustainable development of coal chemical enterprises.Hence,the treatment of coal gasification slag is extremely important.In this paper,the production,composition,morphology,particle size structure and water holding characteristics of coal gasification slag are introduced,and the methods of carbon ash separation of gasification slag,both domestically and abroad,are summarised.In addition,the paper also summarises the research progress on gasification slag in building materials,ecological restoration,residual carbon utilisation and other high-value utilisation,and ultimately puts forward the idea of the comprehensive utilisation of gasification slag.For large-scale consumption to solve the environmental problems of enterprises and achieve high-value utilisation to increase the economic benefits of enterprises,it is urgent to zealously design a reasonable and comprehensive utilisation technologies with simple operational processes,strong adaptability and economic benefits.

Historical trends in maize morphology from the 1950s to the 2010s in China

The morphology of the plant and ear is a preliminary selection characteristic in breeding new varieties of maize.As new maize cultivars were developed from the 1950s through the 2010s in China,most had changes in both plant and ear morphological characteristics that contributed substantially to maize yield gains.Over the seven decades,plant and ear height fluctuated with a small increase from the 1950s to 2000s,and then a decrease in the 2010s,while the ear ratio and internodes length below the ear decreased significantly.Leaf angles became significantly more upright,especially for the leaves above the ear,and the leaf area per plant improved markedly.Leaf orientation increased from the 1950s to the 2000s then decreased in the 2010s.Tassel size and the anthesis-silking interval were both reduced substantially.Ear diameter,kernel number,and kernel weight increased from the 1950 to the 2000s,then decreased in the 2010s under the same cultivation conditions.We found that modern maize hybrids have a lower plant height,ear height and ear ratio which increased lodging resistance,a more erect leaf which increased high-density planting tolerance,and smaller ears and kernels which facilitated rapid dehydration during late grain filling.These morphological selection criteria,which are suitable for mechanized operations,are proposed as the focus for future maize breeding.

Building Morphological Characteristics and Their Effect on the Wind in Beijing

An urban boundary layer model （UBLM） is improved by incorporating the effect of buildings with a sectional drag coefficient and a height-distributed canopy drag length scale. The improved UBLM is applied to simulate the wind fields over three typical urban blocks over the Beijing area with different height-towidth ratios. For comparisons, the wind fields over the same blocks are simulated by an urban sub-domain scale model resolving the buildings explicitly. The wind fields simulated from the two different methods are in good agreement. Then, two-dimensional building morphological characteristics and urban canopy parameters for Beijing are derived from detailed building height data. Finally, experiements are conducted to investigate the effect of buildings on the wind field in Beijing using the improved UBLM.

Morphological characteristics in the area off eastern Taiwan Island and their tectonic implications

On the basis of bathymetric data and other geological and geophysical data obtained during the first survey conducted by Chinese Mainland in the area off eastern Taiwan Island from May to June in 2000, the morphological features of the region, the tectonic control to the seafloor topography and their tectonic implication are studied and discussed. The results have revealed that both the slope zone of the Ryukyu arc and the Ryukyu Trench present a typical morphotectonic characteristics controlled by the trench-arc system in the West Pacific Ocean. At the slope of eastern Taiwan Island the isobathic lines parallel to the coastline and distribute densely in nearly N-S direction and the slope gradient of topography is large. Such a unique feature is attributed to the collision of the Luzon arc and Eurasia continent. In the Huatung Basin, turbidity fans and submarine canyons are well developed, the formations of which are mainly related to the steep topography of the slope of the Luzon arc and the abundant supply of sediments. These submarine canyons are controlled by basement highs and strike-slip faults. On eastern side and western side of the Gagua Ridge, both the water depth and morphological features are different, but the basement of Gagua Ridge belongs to the Huatung Basin. The eastern side of the Gagua Ridge (123°12′E) corresponds to the boundary of two plates with different ages. In the West Philippine Basin, linear ridges and troughs in a NW trending are identified, which are dissected by a NE trending transform fault. According to the seafloor topography features, the direction of the transform fault and the magnetic anomaly lineations, the seafloor of this region was formed during 60-45 Ma B. P. when the West Philippine Basin was spreading along NE-SW relative to the present orientation.

Analysis of genotype differences of rice response to low Zn^(2+) activity and some morphological characteristics

Zinc deficiency is one of the most widespreadmicro-nutritional disorder for rice. To solve the problem, screening Zn-efficient cultivars isan available method and understanding geno-

Morphological Characteristics of Precipitation Areas over the Tibetan Plateau Measured by TRMM PR

The multidimensional morphological characteristics(including scale, horizontal shape and 3 D morphology) of precipitation areas over the Tibetan Plateau in summer were studied using 15 years(1998–2012) of observational data from the precipitation radar onboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. As the scale of the precipitation area increased from 20 to 150 km, the near-surface rain rate(RRav) of the precipitation area increased by up to 78%(from ~1.12 to ~2 mm h~(-1)). Linear precipitation areas had the lowest median RRav(~1 mm h~(-1) over the eastern Tibetan Plateau),whereas square-shaped precipitation areas had the highest median RRav(~1.58 mm h~(-1) over the eastern Tibetan Plateau).The 3D morphology was defined as the ratio of the average vertical scale to the average horizontal scale, where a large value corresponds to thin and tall, and a small value corresponds to plump and short. Thin-and-tall precipitation areas and plump-and-short precipitation areas had a greater median RRav, whereas the precipitation areas with a moderate 3D morphology had the lowest median RRav. The vertical structure of the precipitation-area reflectivity was sensitive to both size and 3D morphology, but was not sensitive to the horizontal shape. The relationship between RRav and the morphological characteristics was most significant over the southern slopes of the Tanggula Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau east of 100°E. The morphological characteristics of precipitation areas are therefore closely related to the intensity of precipitation and could potentially be used to forecast precipitation and verify numerical models.

Morphology and leaf nutrition of introduced Robinia pseudoacacia clones

In order to study and popularize clones from the introduced Robinia pseudoacacia, morphological charac- teristics and leaf nutrition of samples of a three-year-old stand were observed and analyzed during its growing season. Combined with data on rooting ability, height and basal diameter, comparisons were made on morphological characteris- tics, growth traits and leaf nutrition of 11 introduced R. pseudoacacia clones （two from Hungary and nine from South Ko- rea） and two domestic clones, The results show that there are significant differences in growth and morphological char- acteristics among the 13 clones, but no significant differences in the contents of crude protein and crude fibers in the leaves （p 〉 0.05）. Height and basal diameter growth of clones B and G were recorded as the fastest, while clone H1 was the slowest. Clone H2 had the largest leaflets, three times as large as other clones, while K4 had the heaviest dry weight per 100 leaflets because of its thick leaves. The 13 clones can be divided into four classes based on the number of leaf- lets per compound leaf, i.e., 1-3, 13-17, 15-23 and 21-25. There were significant differences in thorn size： H2, with the largest leaflets had the smallest thorns. While of course all clones produced roots, there were significant differences; clones 2N, K5 and B had many adventitious roots, while clones K3, K4 and H1 had few. Correlation between content of crude protein and （length x width of leaf） was positive （p 〈 0.05）, while correlations of the content of crude protein, with the number of leaflets per compound leaf, petiole length of compound leaf and thorn length were negative （p 〈 0.01）. Plant height and basal diameter were positively correlated with each other （p 〈 0.01） and negatively correlated with base width of thorns （p 〈 0.05）.

Morphological Characteristics of the Long-legged Chafer Hoplia spectabilis Medvedev(Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) at Various Developmental Stages

The long-legged chafer Hoplia spectabilis Medvedev was described in 1952. Its occurrence was rarely reported and the document about its morphological details was not found. However, the chafer did frequently break out at Buha River valley in Tianjun county, Qinghai province, China since 2005. In this paper, we present a comprehensive description and illustrations of morphological characteristics of H. spectabilis from local collection, including developmental stages of adult, egg, larva and pupa. Among them, characteristics of the larva and pupa, the male genitalia as well as the difference between male and female are described for the first time. The morphological data will be quite useful for identification and characterization of the chafer, a poorly known species. It will also be an important basis for the chafer control when it breaks out.

Effects of Silica on Serum Phospholipid,Lipid Peroxide and Morphological Characteristics of Rat Lung

The effects of instilled silica have been studied on the serum-phospholipid (PL), lipid peroxide (LPO) and histopathology of rat lung up to 140 days from the first day of instillation. Silica induced relatively higher serum-PL throughout the experiment. The level of LPO also increased appreciably. They presented positive linear correlation. The early lesion was acute alveolitis with silica particles. These lesions became silicotic nodules on the 30th day, which then were enlarged gradually and fused by fibrosis. Alveolar macrophages (AM) were activated and surface structure was damaged. These results indicate that instilled sillca can induce lipid peroxidation of cell membrane and selective accumulation of lung PL

Study on Biological Characteristics of Livestock Eperythrozoon

Based on the study of infection and morphological characteristics of 12 kinds of livestock Eperythrozoon,disinfection test by drugs in vitro,disinfection test by ultraviolet light,Eperythrozoon survival test at different times and temperatures,drug sensitivity test and clinical treatment of infected swines were carried out on Eperythrozoon suis and Eperythrozoon wenyonii to further study the biological characteristics. Test results showed that infection level of livestock Eperythrozoon was high,while morbidity was low. Eperythrozoon suis and Eperythrozoon wenyonii could survive for 1 year at 3- 5 ℃,180 d at 16- 26 ℃ and 30 min at- 20 ℃,while which died instantly at 65 ℃. Eperythrozoon was sensitive to general chemical disinfection drugs,while not sensitive to ultraviolet light disinfection. Transmission of Eperythrozoon mainly included contagious transmission and vertical transmission. Results of drug sensitivity test showed that Eperythrozoon was sensitive to Tetracycline and antigen insect drugs. Sizes and shapes of different livestock Eperythrozoon were different. The study provided a scientific basis for the effective prevention and treatment of livestock Eperythrozoonosis.

Studies on the Morphologic Characteristics and Economic Traits of Different Ploidy Materials of Ramie

Different ploidy ramie materials were studied via microscopic observation on stem sections and macerated fiber cells. Morphologic differences between different ploidy plants were analyzed. Average bark area percentages in ramie stem transection of haploids, tetraploids, diploids and triploids were 28. 91, 27. 05, 26. 97 and 24.77% respectively. Average percentages of fiber layer area of diploids, haploids, tetraploids and triploids were 16.80, 16. 58, 15.52 and 13.78% respectively. Average fiber cell diameter and cell wall thickness were increased along with the increase of the ploidy of the plants. Average fiber length of diploids, triploids and haploids were 8. 49, 7. 96 and 6. 93 cm respectively. Average L/B (length/breadth) of diploids, triploids and haploids were 2 470. 7, 2 390. 6 and 1 616.3 respectively. Average breadths of fiber of haploids, diploids and triploids were 29. 30, 33. 87 and 49. 20μm respectively. However, there were relatively large variations in the above characteristics among the ramie materials of the same ploidy levels. Field performance of different ploidy plants was also investigated. As the chromosome ploidy increasing, there was a tendency of declining in shoot number per plant and increasing in stem diameter. Average shoots per plant of haploids, diploids, triploids and tetraploids were 5.83, 5.30, 3.77 and 3. 65 whereas their average stem diameters were 0.66, 0. 67, 0. 74 and 0. 76 cm respectively. Triploids were the tallest, while haploids were the shortest. Triploids had strong growth vigour, diploids and tetraploids had moderate growth vigour, while haploids appeared to be lack of growth vigour. Cold stress tolerance of tetraploids were the strongest, diploid had the moderate tolerance, while haploids and triploids were the least tolerant to cold stress. Both haploids and triploids were sterile.

Morphological Characteristics and Nutrient Content of Fine Roots of 2-Year-Old and 3-Year-Old Eucalyptus grandis Plantation

[ Objective] This study aimed to explore the morphological characteristics and nutrient content of f＇me roots of 2-year-old and 3-year-old Euca/yptus grand/s plantation and investigate the correlation. [ Method] Fine roots of 2-year-old and 3-year-old Eucalyptus grandis plantation were collected as experimental materials, to determine the root diameter （D）, root length （L）, specific root length （SRL） and contents of major nutrient elements N, P, K, Ca, Mg and C of fine roots （level 1 -5）, study the morphological characteristics and major nutrient element content and investigate the correlation. [ Result] The results showed that morphological differences of fine roots （ level 1 - 5 ） of Eucalyptus grandis plantation were great with the increase of root order, to be specific, D and L increased and SRL decreased with the increasing root order; SRL, L and D of 3-year-old Eucalyptus grauclis plantation were greater than those of 2-year-old Euca/yptus grand/s plantation. Contents of N, Ca, Mg and C of fine roots of 2-year-old and 3-year-old Eucalyptus grandis plantation showed consistent orders with the increase of root order： N and Mg contents were reduced, while Ca and C contents were enhanced; P and K contents varied with different forest ages; both 2-year-old and 3-year- old Eucalyptus grandis showed an order of C 〉 K 〉 Ca （Mg） 〉 N. Major nutrient element content and morphological characteristics of Eucalyptus grand/s fine roots （level 1 -5 ） were extremely significantly correlated （P 〈0.01 ）, SRL, L and D could be adopted as reference indices to evaluate nutrient status of Eucalyptus grand/s. Required nutrients and fine root morphology of Eucalyptus grandis plantation changed with the increase of forest age, and the nutrient cycling and energy flow patterns also changed; major nutrient dements in fine roots of 2-year-old and 3-year-old Eucalyptus grandis plantation transferred in a different order from the growth order, therefore N fertilizer could be applied to improve the growth of fine roots. [ Condusion] This study laid the foundation for understanding the fine root morphology and nutrient variation pattern of Eucalyptus grandis plantation and enriching the response and adaptation mechanism theory of roots to environment, pos- sessing important reference significance for the sustainable development of Eucalyptus grand/s plantation.

Morphological and Biological Characteristics of Rhynchaenus empopulifolis in Tai’an,China

Rhynchaenus empopulifolis is a defoliator harming poplar,and its occurrence is reported in Tai’an area for the first time.Through indoor rearing and forest investigation,the morphological,biological and damage characteristics of R.empopulifolis in Tai’an were observed,and color pictures of each instar and local characteristics of adult as well as damage symptoms were provided,in order to lay a theoretical basis for rapid identification and precise control of R.empopulifolis.