Effects of Synthesis Conditions on the Formation of Si-Substituted Alpha Tricalcium Phosphates

Powders of α-TCP containing various amounts of silicon were synthesized by two different methods: Wet chemical precipitation and solid-state synthesis. The obtained powders were then physico–chemically studied using different methods: Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD), infrared and Raman spectroscopies (FT-IR and R), and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR). The study showed that the method of synthesis affects the morphology of the obtained particles, the homogeneity of crystalline phase and the efficiency of Si substitution. Solid-state synthesis leads to particles with a low tendency to agglomerate compared to the precipitation method. However, the powders obtained by the solid-state method are less homogeneous and contain a significant amount of other crystalline phase, silicocarnotite (up to 7.33%). Moreover, the microcrystals from this method are more disordered. This might be caused by more efficient substitution of silicate ions: The silicon content of the samples obtained by the solid-state method is almost equal to the nominal values.     

有色金属工业含砷污染物处理研究进展

综述了有色金属工业砷污染物的来源及其无害化处理的方法,分析了包封固砷(水泥固化和玻璃固化)和矿物固砷(钙盐、铝盐、镁盐、硫化沉淀法)的优缺点和局限性,重点对将砷以臭葱石形式进行安全处理的合成方法和浸出稳定性的研究现状进行阐述。分析表明,晶态臭葱石合成是将砷以臭葱石形式进行安全处置的基础,稳定性是关键,进一步降低溶液过饱和度以实现大尺寸、高稳定性臭葱石的合成是发展方向。     

Effect of CaO mineral change on coal ash melting characteristics

The change of mineral composition in ash and the effect of CaO on the melting characteristics of coal ash were studied by adding different contents of CaO to coal ash. At the same time, the Factsage thermodynamics software was used to simulate the mineral changes in the synthetic ash to support and verify the experimental results. The results show that with the increase of CaO content, the melting characteristic temperature of coal ash first decreases and then rises. After adding a certain amount of CaO, the quartz with higher melting point completely disappears, and the melting point of the coal ash reaches a minimum value. And with the increase of CaO content, the appearance of wollastonite and single crystal calcium oxide mineral makes the melting point of coal ash gradually increase. It can be seen from the phase diagram calculated by Factsage that as the CaO content increases, the corresponding position of the coal ash gradually moves from the hematite region to the calcareous region. And the phenomenon of low temperature eutectic occurs when the CaO content is 35%, which is consistent with the trend of temperature change of the melting characteristics. These phenomena all indicate that the change in the melting point of coal ash is nonlinear as the content of CaO minerals increases.     

The effect of traffic data source on deterioration rates of heavy-duty flexible pavements

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of traffic data source (estimated vs. actual) on predicted progression rates of roughness and rutting for heavy-duty flexible pavements of rural freeways. Progression rates are predicted using calibrated HDM-4 models. The assessment is performed in terms of variations in maintenance intervention timing associated with the variations in progression rates. Time series pavement condition data (covering 3–5 years) have been collected for 7 sections of rural freeways for use in calibrating HDM-4 deterioration models. They range in length from 10 to 60.8 km and cover different traffic volumes, climate zones and subgrade soil types. For these sections, estimated annual average daily traffic (AADT), growth factors and assumed loading have been extracted from relevant database. Only six segments of these sections have Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) sites so relevant actual AADT, growth factors and axle load distributions have been extracted from WIM reports. The results of running the calibrated HDM-4 deterioration models using different traffic data show that actual traffic data from WIM sites result in higher rates of deterioration to that of estimated data for four sites, resulting in earlier intervention timing and higher present value agency cost. The other two sites have lower rates with actual data due to lower traffic loading than estimated.     

Molecular biomarkers: multiple roles in radiotherapy

Preoperative chemoradiation therapy (CRT) is becoming the standard treatment for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. However, individual differences in response to treatment range from a complete response to complete resistance. Predicting the tumor response to radiotherapy may improve the efficacy of radiotherapy. This review mainly summarizes recent studies about the molecular biomarkers that can predict the response to radiotherapy in rectal cancer. These studies have indicated that the molecular markers involved in the response to radiotherapy mainly include genes related to radiosensitivity, cancer stem cell-related markers, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and gene methylation, and other factors including carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, anemia, lymphocytes, and signaling pathways. Many of these identified markers are mainly associated with DNA repair, apoptosis, and cell cycle, but some involve unknown cell mechanisms. We speculate that predictors of radiotherapy response may involve combinations of multiple molecular biomarkers that may be useful for the development of individualized therapy for rectal cancer patients.     

Prospects of inedible plant oil-driven bio-lubricants for tribological characteristics – a review

ABSTRACT

Fossil fuel resource is on the draining stage which leads to an increment in the cost of the petroleum products. Nowadays, research is focused on the development of environmental friendly lubricants which are derivatives of renewable sources. Inedible plant oil-driven bio-lubricants are environmentally friendly because they are non-hazardous, biodegradable, as well as there is no emission of toxic gases. This study involves the characterisations, advantages, as well as utilisation of inedible plant oil-driven bio-lubricants as an alternative for tribological applications. This report presents the status about the global lubricant market as well as potential outlook. Inedible plant oil-driven bio-lubricants bear high viscosity, high lubricity, and high viscosity index which can enhance the equipment service life and has the ability to carry high load and results in minimum amount of metal traces during combustion.     

浅析煤矿综采放顶煤安全开采问题

以煤矿放顶煤安全开采问题为对象开展分析探究。结合具体工程实际,在分析综放工艺技术特征的基础上,对综采放顶煤安全开采需注意的问题与防范措施开展深入分析,希望能够为其他矿井综放开采的有效开展提供借鉴和帮助。     

The control of paracetamol particle size and surface morphology through crystallisation in a spray dryer

The parameters governing the crystallisation of paracetamol using various conventional techniques has been extensively studied, however the factors influencing the drug crystallisation using spray drying is not as well understood. The aim of this work was to investigate the crystallisation of an active pharmaceutical ingredient through evaporative crystallisation using a spray dryer to study the physicochemical properties of the drug and to use semi-empirical equations to gain insight into the morphology and particle size of the dried powder. Paracetamol solutions were spray dried at various inlet temperatures ranging from 60 °C to 120 °C and also from a series of inlet feed solvent compositions ranging from 50/50% v/v ethanol/water to 100% ethanol and solid-state characterisation was done. The size and morphology of the dried materials were altered with a change in spray drying parameters, with an increase in inlet temperature leading to an increase in particle Sauter mean diameter (from 3.0 to 4.4 µm) and a decrease in the particle size with an increase in ethanol concentration in the feed (from 4.6 to 4.4 µm) as a result of changes in particle density and atomised droplet size. The morphology of the dried particles consisted of agglomerates of individual crystallites bound together into larger semi-spherical agglomerates with a higher tendency for particles having crystalline ridges to form at higher ethanol concentrations of the feed.     

中国大气田科学开发的内涵

大气田是指天然气探明地质储量超过300×10~8 m~3、天然气峰值年产量在10×10~8 m~3以上且具有一定稳产期的气田。其是中国天然气储产量快速增长和未来长期稳定发展的重要基础,也是保障我国供气安全的关键。通过对国内外260余个大气田开发实践的系统分析和典型气田的解剖模拟,综合研究了大气田科学开发的内涵、核心技术以及全生命周期指标体系。大气田科学开发的内涵包括:①提出以"识别水、控制水、治理水"为技术体系的天然气开发理念,即常规气田"控水开发"、非常规气田人工压裂"注水开发",根据气藏类型和气藏特征,确定合理的采气速度;②综合评价气田开发经济效益和社会效益,保障气田长期稳产;③根据气井生产特征和储层发育特征,选取适用的气田稳产方式;④依据对常规与非常规气藏不同开发阶段的精细描述、气藏开发特征和生产动态的监测,确定气田可采储量、气田水与人工注水开发规律、气田提高采收率技术对策、气田效益稳产期与发展战略。大气田科学开发的核心技术包括:规模优化技术、科学布井技术、均衡开采技术和深度挖潜技术。进而综合优选出产量、压降、采出程度、单位压降产量等多个参数作为评价大气田科学开发的关键指标,建立了高压、低渗透—致密、裂缝—孔隙型和页岩气等4类气藏的全生命周期指标体系。结论认为,该研究成果有助于指导不同类型大气田的科学开发,进一步促进我国天然气产业的快速发展。