Microscopic and Macroscopic Growth Rates of Fatigue Cracks in Steels and Alloys under the Influence of Crack Closure

On the basis of the experimental data, we show that the difference between the macroscopic and microscopic fatigue crack growth rates in the second section of the kinetic diagram of fatigue fracture is caused by the effect of crack closure within the limits of its existence. We establish the relationships between the macroscopic and microscopic fatigue crack growth rates and the structure of the material in the second section of the diagram for various values of the load ratio with regard for the effect of crack closure and propose a procedure of examination of the fracture processes in structural materials based on the analysis of microscopic and macroscopic fatigue crack growth rates.     

中国火灾与社会经济因素的关系

对中国的火灾统计数据与社会经济数据之间的关系进行了研究，发现中国火灾与社会经济因素的关系和国外相反:中国的火灾形势在经济越发达的地方越严重，并且随着经济的发展更趋严重。讨论了火灾与经济水平及教育水平的关系，提出了火灾和经济的更为全面的关系，即随着经济的发展，火灾形势是先严重后趋缓和。根据所讨论的结果对中国未来一段时期的火灾情况做出了一些预测。     

History of depression and smoking cessation outcome: A meta-analysis.

The authors conducted a meta-analysis of published studies to (a) evaluate the premise that a history of major depression is associated with failure to quit smoking and (b) identify factors that moderate the relationship between history of depression and cessation outcome. Fifteen studies met the selection requirements and were coded for various study methodology and treatment characteristics. DSTAT was used to calculate individual study effect sizes, determine the mean effect size across studies. and test for moderator effects. No differences in either short-term (≤ 3 months) or long-term abstinence rates (≥ 6 months) were observed between smokers positive versus negative for history of depression. Lifetime history of major depression does not appear to be an independent risk factor for cessation failure in smoking cessation treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

SPECTRAL DENSITY ESTIMATION FROM NONLINEARLY OBSERVED DATA

Abstract. The estimation of the spectral density function of a stationary Gaussian process at the input of an instantaneous nonlinearity is considered when the nonlinearity is known and a finite set of observations of the output process is given. A class of spectral estimates is considered and their quadratic-mean consistency is established; precise asymptotic expressions for their bias and covariance are derived and their asymptotic normality is obtained.     

Kinetic analysis of the crystallization of poly(p-phenylene sulphide)

Growth rates of spherulites were measured in poly(p-phenylene sulphide) crystallized from the melt and the quenched glass over the temperature range 100°C–280°C, possibly the most extensive overall range yet reported for any polymer and, as such, most propitious for study of régime III crystallization. For a medium M.wt. polymer, a régime II → III transition was obtained at 208°C using values of transport parameters common to many polymers ($\text{U1 = 1400}\text{cal mol}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$, T_∞ ? T_g = 30°C) together with experimentally determined values of T⁰_m(315°C) and T_g(92°C). Under these conditions, the régime III/II slope ratio was found to be 2.07 (i.e. only 3.5% higher than predicted by régime theory), and reasonable estimates of surface free energies and of the work of chain folding were obtained. Other choices of the transport terms, including WLF and zero values, did not allow successful kinetic analyses. Although a régime I → II transition is predicted to occur at the high-temperature end of our growth-rate data, we found no experimental evidence for it. For a low M.wt. polymer, our analysis showed that régime III kinetics is obeyed at low temperatures, while at higher ones there is a continuous departure from that behaviour without, however, full attainment of régime II kinetics.     

Are eating disorders culture-bound syndromes? Implications for conceptualizing their etiology.

The authors explore the extent to which eating disorders, specifically anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), represent culture-bound syndromes and discuss implications for conceptualizing the role genes play in their etiology. The examination is divided into 3 sections: a quantitative meta-analysis of changes in incidence rates since the formal recognition of AN and BN, a qualitative summary of historical evidence of eating disorders before their formal recognition, and an evaluation of the presence of these disorders in non-Western cultures. Findings suggest that BN is a culture-bound syndrome and AN is not. Thus, heritability estimates for BN may show greater variability cross-culturally than heritability estimates for AN, and the genetic bases of these disorders may be associated with differential pathoplasticity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Kinetochemical and morphological differentiation of ettringites by the Le Chatelier-Anstett test

In this research, former XRD experiments have been verified by Le Chatelier-Ansttet (L-A) test. For this purpose, 28 cements consisting of 7 Portland cements and 21 blended cements containing 20%, 30% and 40% metakaolin have been submitted to the Le Chatelier-Anstett (L-A) test for 2 years. With all these cements, L-A specimens were manufactured and a direct parameter was measured for these specimens: increase in diameter, Δ∅, or diameter growth. Other complementary determinations were chemical analysis, XDA patterns and SEM of ettringites and specific properties of some cements tested. The experimental results have borne out that the formation rate of the ettringite formed from the reactive alumina, Al₂O₃^r−, present in pozzolans must be considerably higher than the formation rate of the ettringite from C₃A and much higher than the ettringite from C₄AF, both present in OPC. Owing to this, these ettringites were proposed being named “rapid formation” (ett-rf), “slow formation” (ett-lf) and “very slow formation” (ett-vlf) ettringites, respectively. On the other hand, these experimental results have also shown that the ett-rf has a much smaller size than the ett-lf (this is a direct consequence of the aforementioned conclusion); that almost all the alumina, Al₂O₃, present in M pozzolan must be regarded as being “reactive,” Al₂O₃^r−, or at least, the greatest part; that the detrimental effects derived from gypsum attack are shown much earlier in these POZC than in their plain OPC and, to such an extent, that this aggressive action can be described as rapid gypsum attack; and that none of the 21 POZC tested can be described as high nor moderate sulphate resistant cements according to L-A test.     

Religious Participation, Interleukin-6, and Mortality in Older Adults.

This study prospectively examined the relationship between religious attendance, interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and mortality rates in a community-based sample of 557 older adults. Attending religious services more than once weekly was a significant predictor of lower subsequent 12-year mortality and elevated IL-6 levels (> 3.19 pg/mL), with a mortality ratio of .32 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.15,0.72; p     

Bioactive compounds in rye flours with different extraction rates

Rye flours with extraction rate of 100% (wholemeal flour), 95% (brown flour), 90% (brown flour) and 70% (light flour) were prepared in order to study the relation between flour extraction rates and content of bioactive compounds. The following compounds were analysed: total phenolic compounds (TPC), total flavonoids (TF), inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, tocopherols (T) and tocotrienols (T3). The reduced/oxidized glutathione status (GSH/GSSG) of the flours was examined as a potential index of flour resistance against oxidative stress. The following observations were made in relation to the flour extraction rates and bioactive compounds contents: (a) milling process caused decrease in content in TPC, TF, IP6, GSH and GSSG, T and T3, (b) the most resistant against oxidation processes were suggested a brown flours, then light and finally wholemeal flour, (c) the ratio of tocotrienols to tocopherols (T3/T) was the highest in rye flours with extraction rate of 100–90% whereas light flour was the poorest source of tocopherols and tocotrienols. The provided data support current trend to increase number of rye products from wholemeal or brown flours.     

以对标国际促进电力企业高质量发展

随着“一带一路”建设的推进,我国电力企业紧抓机遇,以市场为导向,以项目为依托,积极开拓海外市场,开展跨国经营,在更大范围、更广领域、更高层次上参与国际电力市场的开发合作与竞争。然而,在全球市场上,我国电力企业的国际化经营水平却处于较低水平。在走向国际化同时,需结合自身实际,从管理、技术上有所创新,步步为营,吸收国外先进的技术与管理经验,注重企业文化的形成,而国际对标则是提高企业国际竞争力的重要途径,是企业迈向国际尖端水平的“快捷方式”。