TiAlB coatings with different compositions were deposited by co-sputtering from TiAl and TiB2 targets onto AISI316 stainless steel substrates at a temperature of 170(C. The stoichiometry and nanostructure have been studied by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Analysis of the XPS spectra suggests the presence of phases in ...

Global changes are causing decreases in inorganic nitrogen (N) concentrations, increases coloured dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and N to total phosphorus ratios (DIN:TP) northern lakes. The effects of these on phytoplankton zooplankton biomass the N:P recycling ratio remain unresolved. In 33 Swedish headwater lakes across subarctic-to-boreal gradients with different levels deposition (low nort...

Human-induced changes in biogeochemical cycles alter the availability of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) environment, leading to elemental stoichiometry primary producers. These ratios may, turn, degree stoichiometric mismatch between producer hosts their pathogens. Here, we outline how ecological could be used as a framework predict effects changing nutrient supply on mismatches au...

Soil nutrients strongly influence biomass allocation. However, few studies have examined patterns induced by soil C:N:P stoichiometry in alpine and arid ecosystems. Samples were collected from 44 sites with similar elevation along the 220-km transect at spatial intervals of 5 km along the northern Tibetan Plateau. Aboveground biomass (AGB) levels were measured by cutting a sward in each plot. B...

Plant leaf litter generally decomposes faster as a group of different species than when individual species decompose alone, but underlying mechanisms of these diversity effects remain poorly understood. Because resource C : N : P stoichiometry (i.e. the ratios of these key elements) exhibits strong control on consumers, we supposed that stoichiometric dissimilarity of litter mixtures (i.e. the ...

Four new azo-dyes, 3-phenyl azopentane-2,4-dion (LA), 3-(4-nitro phenyl azo)-pentane-2,4-dion (LP), 3-(2-nitro phenyl azo)-pentane-2,4-dion (LO) and 4-(1-acetyle-2-oxo-propyl azo)-benzene sulfonate sodium (LS), were synthesized from, aniline, 4-nitroaniline, 2-nitroaniline and sulfanilic acid with acetylacetone, respectively. Reaction of these new dyes with acetate salts of copper(II), nickel(I...

The proportion in which carbon and growth-limiting nutrients are exported from the oceans' productive surface layer to the deep sea is a crucial parameter in models of the biological carbon pump. Based on >400 vertical flux observations of particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PON) from the European Arctic Ocean we show the common assumption of constant C:N stoichiometry not to be met....

Toward the development of synthetic bioactive materials to support tissue repair, we present here the design, production, and characterization of genetically engineered protein polymers carrying specific key features of the natural extracellular matrix, as well as cross-linking with functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to form hybrid hydrogel networks. The repeating units of target recomb...

Increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations generally alter element stoichiometry in plants. However, a comprehensive evaluation of the elevated CO2 impact on plant nitrogen: phosphorus (N:P) ratios and the underlying mechanism has not been conducted. We synthesized the results from 112 previously published studies using meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of elevated CO2 on the N:P ratio of te...

Understanding the temperature sensitivity (Q 10) of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition is important for predicting soil carbon (C) sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems under warming scenarios. Whether Q 10 varies predictably with ecosystem succession and the ways in which the stoichiometry of input SOM influences Q 10 remain largely unknown. We investigate these issues using a grassland...