Technology enhanced learning of quantitative critical thinking

A Quantitative Critical Thinking (QCT) software tool was developed in this study to facilitate students’ learning of quantitative critical thinking via repeated practice by chemical engineering students reading a core module called fluid-solid systems. The software tool generated detailed calculation steps to typical engineering design problems encountered in this module that contained weaknesses, flaws or even errors. Students utilized the software tool to practice identifying these weaknesses, flaws or errors in the design solutions and then present a better or correct design by applying the concepts and knowledge acquired in the module. Since the QCT software tool was built upon an existing design software tool that was able to generate the correct, detailed design calculation steps to design problems, students were able to check their own design calculations against those presented by the software tool during this second learning step, thereby engaging in and learning quantitative critical thinking via a repeated practice approach. The software tool was successful in enhancing the performance of second-year undergraduate students in solving a question that required quantitative critical thinking in the final examination of the module. The average percentage scores achieved by students for the question who reported higher frequencies of usage of the software were generally higher than those who reported lower frequencies of usage or did not utilize the software tool throughout the semester.     

气藏平均地层压力跟踪计算新方法

平均地层压力是产能评价和动态分析的基础，准确、快速获取平均地层压力对高效开发气藏意义重大。基于地层压力随时间变化的规律，分析了平均地层压力的变化规律。研究结果表明：平均地层压力等效点仅随时间发生改变，平均地层压力的下降速率等于或者近似等于井底流压的下降速率。从封闭弹性驱动气藏的物质平衡方程出发，考虑偏差系数和井底流压随平均地层压力的变化，推导建立了平均地层压力跟踪计算新方法，根据生产数据可迭代计算平均地层压力。方法验证结果显示，采气速度和采出程度共同影响模型的计算结果。应用实例表明，跟踪计算法与压力恢复试井和物质平衡法之间的相对误差均较小，满足工程计算精度要求，且跟踪计算法不需依托生产测试数据，节约了测试费用，避免了测试占产。     

Current Status of Angiogenic Cell Therapy and Related Strategies Applied in Critical Limb Ischemia

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) constitutes the most severe form of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), it is characterized by progressive blockade of arterial vessels, commonly correlated to atherosclerosis. Currently, revascularization strategies (bypass grafting, angioplasty) remain the first option for CLI patients, although less than 45% of them are eligible for surgical intervention mainly due to associated comorbidities. Moreover, patients usually require amputation in the short-term. Angiogenic cell therapy has arisen as a promising alternative for these “no-option” patients, with many studies demonstrating the potential of stem cells to enhance revascularization by promoting vessel formation and blood flow recovery in ischemic tissues. Herein, we provide an overview of studies focused on the use of angiogenic cell therapies in CLI in the last years, from approaches testing different cell types in animal/pre-clinical models of CLI, to the clinical trials currently under evaluation. Furthermore, recent alternatives related to stem cell therapies such as the use of secretomes, exosomes, or even microRNA, will be also described.     

Analysis and proposition of limiting current density measurement protocol

Limiting current density at different temperatures, backpressures, and balance gases can be used to separate molecular diffusion resistance, Knudsen diffusion resistance and local transport resistance of membrane electrode assembly (MEA). However, the measurement of limiting current density has no unified protocol. The diverse choices in the literature, either in the control of current or voltage or in the atmosphere like relative humidity and O₂ concentrations, make it difficult to compare the results and identify the true bottleneck hindering the mass transport. In this work, the current-voltage curves obtained by current scanning/stepping and voltage scanning/stepping methods under dilute O₂ of different concentrations and a wide range of relative humidity were measured and analyzed systematically. It is found that the voltage stepping method is superior to the other three ways of control for the reliable determination of the limiting current density. Aided with simultaneous electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurement, the limiting current density can be determined with pinpoint accuracy. When the limiting current density is just used to qualitatively evaluate different MEA, the voltage scanning method can be used instead for its high time efficiency. The selection of the atmosphere also plays an important role in suppressing the distortion from excessive water and reducing the spurious contribution from proton conduction resistance. It is found that O₂ concentrations at 0.5 vol% and relative humidity at 90% can give the best estimation of O₂ transport resistance in membrane electrode assembly.     

Microcrack healing in zirconia ceramics under a DC electric field/current

Flash event caused by a DC electric field/current was applied to the crack healing in 8 mol % Y₂O₃ stabilized cubic ZrO₂ polycrystals (8Y-CSZ). The flash event, which occurred by applying the DC power higher than a critical value of 100 mW/mm³, successfully healed the microcrack within several minutes without any healing agents at a furnace temperature of 800 °C. As compared to the healing treatment under static annealing, the healing phenomena were accelerated about 2 times under the flash treatment even at the same temperatures, suggesting that the enhanced healing phenomena cannot be explained only by the temperature effect. Since the rate of grain growth was accelerated under the flash treatment, the flash healing would be accelerated through the current-enhanced diffusional processes. This study shows for the first time that the flash event has a potential to apply to the crack healing process in the ceramic materials and composites.     

FeOOH–CoS composite catalyst with high catalytic performances for oxygen evolution reaction at high current density

Water electrolysis is an efficient approach for high-purity hydrogen production. However, the anodic sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) always needs high overpotential and thus brings about superfluous electricity cost of water electrolysis. Therefore, exploiting highly efficient OER electrocatalysts with small overpotential especially at high current density will undoubtedly boost the development of industrial water electrolysis. Herein, we used a simple hydrothermal method to prepare a novel FeOOH–CoS nanocomposite on nickel foam (NF). The as-prepared FeOOH–CoS/NF catalyst displays an excellent OER performance with extremely low overpotentials of 306 and 329 mV at 500 and 1000 mA cm⁻² in 1.0 M KOH, respectively. In addition, the FeOOH–CoS/NF catalyst can maintain excellent catalytic stability for more than 50 h, and the OER catalytic activity shows almost no attenuation no matter after 1000 repeated CV cycles or 50 h of stability test. The high catalytic activity and stability have exceeded most non-noble metal electrocatalysts reported in literature, which makes the FeOOH–CoS/NF composite catalyst have promising applications in the industrial water electrolysis.     

Influence of anode current density on carbon parasitic reactions during electrolysis

In the electro-deoxidation process, carbon parasitic reaction (CO₃^2- + 4e^-=C + 3O^2-) usually occurs when using carbon materials as the anode, which leads to increase of the carbon content in the final metal and decrease of the current efficiency of the process. The aim of this work is to reduce the negative effect of carbon parasitic reaction on the electrolysis process by adjusting anode current density. The results indicate that lower graphite anode area can achieve higher current density, which is helpful to increase the nucleation site of CO₂ bubbles. Most of CO₂ would be released from the anode instead of dissolution in the molten CaCl₂ and reacting with O^2- to form CO₃^2-, thus decreasing the carbon parasitic reaction of the process. Furthermore, the results of the compared experiments show that when the anode area decreases from 172.78 to 4.99 cm², CO₂ concentration in the released gases increases significantly, the carbon mass content in the final metal product decreased from 1.09% to 0.13%, and the current efficiency increased from 6.65% to 36.50%. This study determined a suitable anode current density range for reducing carbon parasitic reaction and provides a valuable reference for the selection of the anode in the electrolysis process.     

概念辨析：建筑评论的思辨实践

建筑评论是一项针对具体对象,将目之所及的事物背后不可视的背景、思想、价值判断、驱动力等,转化为可以言说、可以讨论、具有建筑学和文化社会意义的思辨性活动。[1]这项活动的基础工作之一是概念的辨析与运用。因此,在东南大学建筑学院开设的"建筑评论课",通过课程主题的组织,在帮助学生建立多维批评视野的同时,以概念辨析为切入点,通过基于精读、研究的写作训练,实现思辨性思维的培养、学术素养和写作的培训,以及对建筑评论和中国现当代建筑话语的理解。     

Contribution of metal vapor mass at periphery part of pulsed arc to electromagnetic force in weld pool

The arc welding has been used in various welding methods because it is inexpensive and high in strength after welding. However, it is a problem that accidents such as collapse of the bridge occur because of the welding defects. The welding of low cost and high productivity is required without the welding defects. The pulsed TIG welding is inexpensive and capable of high‐quality welding. The electromagnetic force contributing to penetration changes because the transient response of arc temperature and iron vapor generated from anode occurs. However, the analysis of pulsed TIG welding with metal vapor has been elucidated only metal vapor concentration near anode with transient phenomenon and heat flux. Thus, the theoretical elucidation of penetration depth with control factor has not been researched. In this paper, the contribution of metal vapor mass at the periphery part of pulsed arc to the electromagnetic force in the weld pool is elucidated. As a result, the iron vapor mass at periphery part decreased with increasing the frequency. The iron vapor was stagnated at axial center within one cycle. The electromagnetic force to the penetration depth direction in weld pool increased at axial center. Therefore, the metal vapor mass at periphery part plays an important role for the electromagnetic force increment at axial center.