• Energy Research
• 2021-2025close
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The leafy seadragon certainly is among evolution's most "beautiful and wonderful" species aptly named for its extraordinary camouflage mimicking its coastal seaweed habitat. However, limited information is known about the genetic basis of its phenotypes and conspicuous camouflage. Here, we revealed genomic signatures of rapid evolution and positive selection in core genes related to its camouflage, which allowed us to predict population dynamics for this species. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that seadragons have the smallest olfactory repertoires among all ray-finned fishes, suggesting adaptations to the highly specialized habitat. Other positively selected and rapidly evolving genes that serve in bone development and coloration are highly expressed in the leaf-like appendages, supporting a recent adaptive shift in camouflage appendage formation. Knock-out of bmp6 results in dysplastic intermuscular bones with a significantly reduced number in zebrafish, implying its important function in bone formation. Global climate change-induced loss of seagrass beds now severely threatens the continued existence of this enigmatic species. The leafy seadragon has a historically small population size likely due to its specific habitat requirements that further exacerbate its vulnerability to climate change. Therefore, taking climate change-induced range shifts into account while developing future protection strategies.

The leafy seadragon certainly is among evolution's most "beautiful and wonderful" species aptly named for its extraordinary camouflage mimicking its coastal seaweed habitat. However, limited information is known about the genetic basis of its phenotypes and conspicuous camouflage. Here, we revealed genomic signatures of rapid evolution and positive selection in core genes related to its camouflage, which allowed us to predict population dynamics for this species. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that seadragons have the smallest olfactory repertoires among all ray-finned fishes, suggesting adaptations to the highly specialized habitat. Other positively selected and rapidly evolving genes that serve in bone development and coloration are highly expressed in the leaf-like appendages, supporting a recent adaptive shift in camouflage appendage formation. Knock-out of bmp6 results in dysplastic intermuscular bones with a significantly reduced number in zebrafish, implying its important function in bone formation. Global climate change-induced loss of seagrass beds now severely threatens the continued existence of this enigmatic species. The leafy seadragon has a historically small population size likely due to its specific habitat requirements that further exacerbate its vulnerability to climate change. Therefore, taking climate change-induced range shifts into account while developing future protection strategies.

Abstract Fruit and vegetables are stored for up to several months in large bin stacks in refrigerated rooms. Gaps between the bins and bin wall openings should allow the circulation of cooling air to remove field and respiration heat from produce. In an industrial apple store, the effects of the stacking array, fan position and number on airflow distribution in vertical gaps and inside plastic bins were investigated using stepwise reduction of fan revolution. At 100% fan power, the average air velocity in vertical gaps between bin rows in the main flow direction increased with reducing total cross section of the gaps. In contrast, the number of vertical gaps between bin rows had little effect on the average air speed between fruit inside the bins, probably due to additional flow paths in the horizontal gaps. The lowest air speed was measured when bins were stacked in one block without vertical gaps and a distance to the side walls of only 10 cm. A stacking arrangement with only one central vertical gap between four bin rows or with a large distance (> 1 m) between the wall opposite to the fans and the bins enhanced flow uniformity. Three fans situated above the vertical gaps was more effective for the ventilation of bins than four fans above the bin rows.

Abstract Fruit and vegetables are stored for up to several months in large bin stacks in refrigerated rooms. Gaps between the bins and bin wall openings should allow the circulation of cooling air to remove field and respiration heat from produce. In an industrial apple store, the effects of the stacking array, fan position and number on airflow distribution in vertical gaps and inside plastic bins were investigated using stepwise reduction of fan revolution. At 100% fan power, the average air velocity in vertical gaps between bin rows in the main flow direction increased with reducing total cross section of the gaps. In contrast, the number of vertical gaps between bin rows had little effect on the average air speed between fruit inside the bins, probably due to additional flow paths in the horizontal gaps. The lowest air speed was measured when bins were stacked in one block without vertical gaps and a distance to the side walls of only 10 cm. A stacking arrangement with only one central vertical gap between four bin rows or with a large distance (> 1 m) between the wall opposite to the fans and the bins enhanced flow uniformity. Three fans situated above the vertical gaps was more effective for the ventilation of bins than four fans above the bin rows.

Abstract In the production process of pharmaceutical pellets with a narrow size distribution and a high sphericity, a combined extrusion-spheronization technique is frequently used. The rounding of the wet cylindrical extrudates in the spheronizer after the extrusion step is influenced by various interfering mechanisms, in particular plastic deformation, breakage, attrition and coalescence. Due to the complexity of these mechanisms which depend on the particle dynamics, there is no sufficient description of the particle rounding process in the spheronizer. In this study, the Discrete Element Method (DEM) which runs on the micro scale is coupled with a Particle Shape Evolution (PSE) model on the macro scale to describe how the particle shape changes due to collisions. For the DEM simulation a new contact model was used which was developed to capture the cyclic, dominant visco plastic deformation behaviour. Based on the DEM collision data, the changing particle shape was described in the PSE model by applying the proposed submodels for the different formation mechanisms. The resulting particle shapes obtained with this simulation framework are in a good agreement with experimental data.

Abstract In the production process of pharmaceutical pellets with a narrow size distribution and a high sphericity, a combined extrusion-spheronization technique is frequently used. The rounding of the wet cylindrical extrudates in the spheronizer after the extrusion step is influenced by various interfering mechanisms, in particular plastic deformation, breakage, attrition and coalescence. Due to the complexity of these mechanisms which depend on the particle dynamics, there is no sufficient description of the particle rounding process in the spheronizer. In this study, the Discrete Element Method (DEM) which runs on the micro scale is coupled with a Particle Shape Evolution (PSE) model on the macro scale to describe how the particle shape changes due to collisions. For the DEM simulation a new contact model was used which was developed to capture the cyclic, dominant visco plastic deformation behaviour. Based on the DEM collision data, the changing particle shape was described in the PSE model by applying the proposed submodels for the different formation mechanisms. The resulting particle shapes obtained with this simulation framework are in a good agreement with experimental data.

Introduction of a hydrophobic crystalline carbon support enhances the performance of AEMWE and improves the corrosion resistance of carbon by reducing its interaction with water. This demonstrates the promising potential of utilizing a carbon support.