The detached eclipsing binary TX Her revisited

This paper presents new CCD Bessell BVRI light curves and photometric analysis of the Algol-type binary star TX Her. The CCD observations were carried out at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Observatory in 2010. New BVRI light curves from this study and radial velocity curves from Popper (1970) were solved simultaneously using modern light and radial velocity curves synthesis methods. The general results show that TX Her is a well-detached eclipsing binary, however, both component stars fill at least half of their Roche lobes. A significant third light contribution to the total light of the system could not be determined. Using O–C residuals formed by the updated minima times, an orbital period study of the system was performed. It was confirmed that the tilted sinusoidal O–C variation corresponds to an apparent period variation caused by the light travel time effect due to an unseen third body. The following absolute parameters of the components were derived: M₁ = 1.62 ± 0.04 M_⊙, M₂ = 1.45 ± 0.03 M_⊙, R₁ = 1.69 ± 0.03 R_⊙, R₂ = 1.43 ± 0.03 R_⊙, L₁ = 8.21 ± 0.90 L_⊙ and L₂ = 3.64 ± 0.60 L_⊙. The distance to TX Her was calculated as 155 ± 10 pc, taking into account interstellar extinction. The position of the components of TX Her in the HR diagram are also discussed. The components are young stars with an age of ～500 Myr.     

Isolation and Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from a Traditional Jeotgal Product in Korea

Seventeen lactic acid bacterial strains (LAB) were isolated using MRS agar medium from Jeotgal, a Korean fermented food, purchased at the Jukdo market of Pohang. To identify the strains isolated, they were tested by examining their cell morphologies, gram-staining, catalase activity, arginine hydrolase activity, D-L lactate form and carbohydrate fermentation. According to the phenotypic characteristics, three strains were tent atively identified asLactobacillus spp., ten wereEnterococcus spp. (orStreptococcus spp., orPediococcus spp.) and the rest were Leuconostoc spp. (orWeissella spp.). Five strains among 17 were chosen by preliminary bacteriocin activity test. Four bacterial strains which inhibited both indicator microorganisms were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. The results are as follows; Leuconostoc mesenteroides (HK 4),Leuconostoc mesenteroides (HK 5),Leuconostoc mesenteroides(HK 11),Streptococcus salivarius(HK 8). In order to check LAB which are showing a high survival rate in gut, we investigated three strains inhibiting both indicator microorganisms in artificial gastric acid and bile juice -all except HK8. The three strains mentioned above grew in extreme low acid conditions.     

Effect of saline intrusion on the properties of cohesive soils in the Red River Delta,Vietnam

Abstract

This study conducted a series of laboratory experiments and established numerical models on selected undisturbed soil samples in the Red River Delta (RRD) to determine the effect of change in soils intruded by saline water. The variation in the technical parameters of soils was verified in soils fully saturated by solution of four salt concentrations, that is, 0.0, 9.9, 19.8, and 33.0?g/L. Results show that the content and composition of clay minerals in cohesive soils before and after saline intrusion are unchanged. The same finding is obtained for clay after removing absorbed water layer by using a centrifuge apparatus. The zeta potential and settlement velocity of soils in the RRD increase when salt is added to the saturated solution. Similarly, the deformation of soils increases proportionally with the salt concentrations of that solution. This result is attributed to the linear decrease in deformation modulus. The decrease in modulus versus salinities is nearly consistent for pressure stages from 100 to 400?kPa. The safety factor of bearing capacity also decreases linearly with salinities. The decrease reaches 12.5–16.3% when soils are in the maximum saline solution. All these changes are considered as the degradation of soils in saline media.     

Estimation of the PAR irradiance ratio and its variability under clear-sky conditions at ieodo in the east china sea

Determining ‘photosynthetically active radiation’ (PAR) is a key part of calculating phytoplankton productivity in a biogeochemical model. We explore the daily and seasonal variability in the ratio of PAR irradiance to total irradiance that occurred at Ieodo Ocean Research Station (IORS) in the East China Sea under clear-sky conditions in 2004 using a simple radiative transfer model (RTM). Meteorological data observed at IORS and aerosol optical properties derived from Aerosol Robotic Network observations at Gosan are used for the RTM. Preliminary results suggest that the use of simple PA R irradianceratio values is appropriate in calculating phytoplankton productivity as follows: an average of 0.44 (±0.01) in January to an average of 0.48 (±0.01) in July, with average daily variabilities over these periods of about 0.016 (±0.008) and 0.025 (±0.008), respectively. The model experiments demonstrate that variations in the major controlling input parameters (i.e. solar zenith angle, precipitable water vapor and aerosol optical thickness) cause PAR irradiance ratio variation at daily and seasonal timescales. Further, increases (>0.012) in the PAR irradiance ratio just below the sea-surface are positively correlated with high solar zenith angles and strong wind stresses relative to those just above the sea-surface.     

Co-inoculation of Capitella sp. I with its synergistic bacteria enhances degradation of organic matter in organically enriched sediment below fish farms

A polychaete, Capitella sp. I has been shown to degrade organics actively in organically enriched sediment below fish farms. Our aim of the present study is to enhance the biological treatment of sediment by co-inoculation of Capitella sp. I with bacterial isolates that possess high degrading potential for organic matter. We isolated a total of 200 bacterial strains from fecal pellets, burrow lining, worm body, and sediment, and selected six of them for the degradation experiments in the sediment microcosms. With two out of the six isolates, tentatively identified as Vibrio sp. and Vibrio cyclitrophicus by 16SrDNA sequence, we found the TOC reduction rate was stimulated in sediment co-inoculated with the worms and each of the bacteria. In contrast, this was not observed in sediments inoculated only with the worms or the bacterium. These results strongly suggest that co-inoculation of Capitella sp. I with bacteria improves biodegradation.     

Experimental evaluation of dynamic characteristics of seesaw energy dissipation system for vibration control of structures

Seesaw energy dissipation system (SEDS), a vibration control system used to provide enhanced seismic protection, has been proposed and investigated numerically. Because of its complicated arrangement, verification experiments are necessary to demonstrate the SEDS damping capacity. This paper presents the results of experimental investigation of the SEDS using fluid viscous dampers. Free vibration tests are conducted to demonstrate the SEDS damping capacity. Results of the free vibration test show that the SEDS has sufficient damping capacity for reduction of the seismic response of the frames. Parametric experimental investigations of the SEDS were conducted, the results of which demonstrate the effects of the system parameter on the damping capacity. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Post‐repair effect of column jackets on aftershock fragilities of damaged RC bridges subjected to successive earthquakes

In light of recent earthquakes, structures damaged during an initial seismic event (mainshock) may be more vulnerable to severe damage and collapse during a subsequent event (aftershock). In this paper, a framework for the development of aftershock fragilities is presented; these aftershock fragilities define the likelihood that a bridge damaged during an initial event will exhibit a given damage state following one or more subsequent events. The framework is capable of (i) quantifying the cumulative damage of unrepaired bridges subjected to mainshock–aftershock sequences (effect of multiple earthquakes) and (ii) evaluating the effectiveness of column repair schemes such as steel and fiber‐reinforced‐polymer jackets (post‐repair effect of jackets). To achieve this aim, the numerical model of repaired columns is validated using existing experimental results. A non‐seismically designed bridge is chosen as a case study and is modeled for three numerical bridge models: a damaged (but unrepaired) bridge model, and two bridge models with columns repaired with steel and fiber‐reinforced polymer jackets. A series of back‐to‐back dynamic analyses under successive earthquakes are performed for each level of existing damage. Using simulated results, failure probabilities of components for multiple limit states are computed for each bridge model and then are used to evaluate the relative vulnerability of components associated with cumulative damage and column repair. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.