Long-term residual value of North Carolina and Queensland rock phosphates compared with triple superphosphate

The effectiveness of large single applications of North Carolina reactive rock phosphate, Queensland non-reactive rock phosphate, and Calciphos, were compared to the effectiveness of superphosphate in field experiments in south-western Australia for up to 11 years after application. As measured using plant yield, superphosphate was the most effective fertilizer in the year of application, and relative to freshly-applied superphosphate, the effectiveness of the superphosphate residues declined to be about 15 to 65% as effective in the year after application, and 5 to 20% as effective 9 to 10 years after application. Relative to freshly-applied superphosphate, all the rock phosphates were 10 to 30% as effective in the year of application, and the residues remained 2 to 20% as effective in the 10 years after application. The bicarbonate soil test reagent predicted a more gradual decrease in effectiveness of superphosphate of up to 70% 10 years after application. For rock phosphate, the reagent predicted effectiveness to be always lower than for superphosphate, being initially 2 to 11% as effective in the year after application, and from 10% to equally as effective 10 years later. Therefore rock phosphates are unlikely to be economic alternatives to superphosphate in the short or long term on most lateritic soils in south-western Australia.     

Enhanced foam drainage using parallel inclined channels in a single-stage foam fractionation column

A single-stage vertical foam fractionation column was investigated under continuous steady-state experimental conditions. Using a simple power-law expression to describe the drainage velocity through the foam, and in conjunction with continuity arguments, a theoretical framework was developed to analyse the performance of the vertical column. A reduction in the degrees of freedom in the analysis was achieved by using a fixed feed to gas flux ratio to promote a reasonably constant surfactant recovery. It was then possible to measure the process performance by determining the change in the level of enrichment produced from a change in the gas flux, and corresponding change in the feed flux. For a constant recovery, the enrichment is directly proportional to the volume reduction (defined as the ratio of the feed volume processed to foamate volume produced in a given time). The analysis was found to be consistent with experimental data and demonstrated the need to limit the gas flux, and hence the feed flux, to relatively low values in order to produce satisfactory volume reductions, and in turn achieve high enrichment. To overcome this processing constraint, three parallel inclined channels¹ (PIC) were used to provide an effective increase in the vessel area, and hence facilitate the release of the entrained liquid within the foam. A significant increase in the volume reduction was obtained using the inclined channel arrangement. For the same processing rate, the PIC column achieved up to a 4 fold increase in enrichment compared to the vertical column. A slight decrease in recovery, however, was observed using the PIC column.     

Development in nutrient balances in Danish agriculture 1980–2004

A farm-gate nutrient balance showed that the surpluses per hectare fell from 175 to 123 kg N, from 29 to 13 kg P and from 61 to 32 kg K from 1979/80 to 2003/04. Consequently, the nutrient use efficiency (total output in % of total input) increased for N from 20% in 1979/80 to 37% in 2003/04, for P from 23% to 52% and for K from 18% to 43%. Parallel to the peak in surplus of N around 1980, elevated nitrogen concentrations were observed in ground and marine waters. A series of agro-environmental action plans were initiated, and the discharge of N to Danish coastal waters was reduced, though less than the reduction in surplus and losses from agriculture. In contrast to N, the reduction in P surplus was not reflected in any reduction in discharge of P from agriculture during the last two decades. A farm-gate account of N surplus is a reasonable indicator of potential N loss, whereas loss of P is mainly related to the soil P saturation level and to specific loss events. By preparing accounts for sub-sectors such as the arable and animal production sectors or for products within these sectors, farm-gate nutrient balances show the development in agricultural production, in addition to the trend in potential environmental impacts. Nutrient balances may thus link the environmental aspect to the economic aspect of agricultural production and assist in the monitoring of the sustainability of agriculture.     

Dye Impregnation Method for Revealing Machining Crack Geometry

The palladium nitrate dye penetrant method for revealing surface microcracks was investigated and applied to display the geometry of machining cracks in silicon nitride flexure test specimens. This method used elemental mapping with an electron probe microanalyzer to detect the presence of the dye and, thereby, display the crack geometry. A previously used bending method and a method developed in this study in which the specimen surface is exposed to the dye under pressure were used to facilitate dye penetration. Prior to applying the method to study machining cracks, carefully controlled Knoop indentation cracks introduced into flexure specimens were used to verify penetration of the dye to the crack tip. During these experiments it was found that the palladium nitrate dye resulted in a reduction in flexure strength, which, on further study, was attributed to the dilute nitric acid solution used to formulate the dye. Exposure to carbon tetrafluoride plasma etching prior to applying the pressurized dye method also resulted in a detectable decrease in flexure strength. Although there was clear evidence that exposure to dye and plasma etching resulted in a small but measurable decrease in flexure strength for the silicon nitride material studied, there was no detectable change in observed crack geometry. The reduction in flexure strength was apparently caused by a decrease in resistance to initiate crack propagation. It was concluded that the palladium nitrate dye method is an accurate and useful means for determining the geometry of small, otherwise difficult to observe surface microcracks. Nevertheless, caution should be exercised with the use of this method during strength measurements. When applied to machining cracks, the complex nature of these shallow, elongated, sometimes joining cracks was unambiguously revealed.     

现状问题思考--现代陶艺创作感受

20世纪的中国，以改革开放大潮为契机，形成了八十年代的艺术引进大潮。它以西方现代艺术为观念性依托，以照搬、借鉴为化合手段，充分显示了中国艺术的开放性和包容性的特色，寻求西方现代艺术与中国艺术在本质上的协调性。使中国艺术家对艺术精神的把握，在观念上向前迈进了一步。艺术家的主要注意力不是对于传统艺术中的若干程式语言的承键，而是着意于对艺术结构自身的探索和对艺术本体的体味。在写实、写真方面，也注重对艺术的文化精神的把握和提升。也正是由于在这样一种大的艺术语境下，现代陶艺才能得以成为我们艺术家创作的一个方向。     

21世纪我国化肥工业的展望

回顾我国化肥工业的发展及其面临的机遇和挑战,展望２１世纪我国化肥工业的发展前景及趋势,２１世纪我国化肥工业的发展应从低养份含量向高养份含量,单营养成分向复合肥和特种肥发展;原料结构合理化,向较低成本原料发展;采用先进技术,向大型化,超大型化,单系列,低成本,低能耗发展;国产化技术、设备、材料广泛在化肥装置中使用;化肥产品向纵深发展,化肥企业实行多种经营,企业经济效益不断提高。     

Physiologie der alternden Haut (Stoffwechselsituation)

Physiology of the Ageing Skin (Metabolic State) Results of investigations on the enzymatic activity in epidermis, in the contents of cantharidin vessel and in the cutis of young and ageing skin are reported. Thereby a differentiation has been made between non-exposed skin and skin exposed to light. The decrease in enzymatic activity in the skin of grown-up persons, as compared to young subjects, is most pronounced in the epidermis and to a lesser extent in the contents of cantharidin vessel. In the cutis, however, an increase in activity is observed. A similar relationship is found in the case of aged skin by comparing unexposed skin to the one exposed to light. Whereas a reduction in enzymatic activity occurs in the epidermis of skin exposed to light, an increase (25–300%) in activity of all the enzymes is found in the cutis.     

Variations in the individual consumption of table salt with or without chili in food, in a community of México

The present study was carried out in a rural community in the central plateau of Mexico, with the objective of estimating the mean daily consumption of table salt at the family and individual level, and to determine if the individual taste to salt added to the food at the table, varied with the presence or absence of a hot species, "chile", to the food. Our results showed variability in three "barrios" of the community, which go from the central, more urban-type (Temascalcingo) to an intermediate-type (Boquí), and to a more rural-type (Bonshó), showing the highest mean consumption of salt at the family level in the most urban barrio (47.2 g/day), while the mean family consumption in the other two barrios (28.2 and 33.9 g/day, respectively) was lower. At the individual level, there were differences in salt consumption associated to sex and age. The highest consumptions were found in the more urban-type barrio, in which men in the 15-22 year-old group consumed a mean of 9 g/day, and women in the 7-14 year-old group consumed a mean of 6.37 g/day. When the individual taste for salt added to foods commonly prepared in the community were studied, we found a statisticaly significant difference in individual taste associated with the presence or absence of chile in the food. In two of the study meals (breakfast and lunch) the total grams of salt added to the food which did not contain chile was significantly higher than the salt added to the food which contained chile, suggesting that the presence of the specie may account for a great part of the need to enhance food flavor. This in turn could explain the smaller consumption of table salt in the more rural-type section of the population noted in the first part of the study, in which families tend to add more chile to their food than in the urban-type settings.     

The annual cycle of Flehmen in black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus)

Flehmen is a stereotyped response of ungulates and other mammals to urine. In black-tailed deer, Flehmen occurs typically in males (rarely in females), and its frequency shows an annual cycle. Flehmen in response to female urine was most frequent in November, and to male urine in January. The response minimum to both types of urine occurred in May. Fifty-five to 100% of initial responses to female urine resulted in Flehmen. The deer responded more often to female urine, and the difference between the responses to female and male urine increased from May to November. A male's own urine released Flehmen more often than did urine of other males. The response intensity varied with the spatial orientation of the male to the urinating female, and responses were usually limited to distances of 15 m or less.     

The effect of cooling rate on the impact performance and dynamic mechanical properties of rotationally molded metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene

This article examines changes to the morphology of rotationally molded metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene brought about by varying the cooling rate during processing. These changes in morphology lead to variations in the impact performance, which is reflected in the dynamic mechanical characteristics of the materials. Various analytical techniques are used in an attempt to explain the differences in impact behavior. Slow cooling is shown to result in high crystallinity, and in the formation of large spherulites, which in turn is detrimental to the impact performance of the material, particularly at low temperatures. The high crystallinity corresponds with a shift in the β transition of the material to a higher temperature, and is shown to result in a higher brittle–ductile transition. A case study was also carried out on samples from a finished part provided by an industrial molder, one section of which failed in a brittle manner when impact tested while the other failed in a ductile manner. Microscopy results showed that the brittle material had large spherulites at the inside surface, while the ductile material showed incipient degradation at this surface, which has previously been shown to be of benefit to impact strength in rotationally molded parts. Dynamic mechanical studies again showed a β transition at a higher temperature in the brittle samples. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 1963–1971, 2006     

催化两器衬里烘炉后失强原因分析

对国内某炼油厂催化裂化装置沉降器和再生器（两器）衬里烘炉后出现强度偏低的问题,从系统因素入手,对衬里材料、施工质量控制、烘炉过程控制、环境影响、综合因素等方面进行分析,衬里发生了碱-集料反应是造成衬里质量问题的主要原因.提出改进措施,加强对耐火衬里碱-集料反应研究,严格限制材料中碱和活性物质含量,针对不同地区的实际环境,合理安排设备制造与衬里施工计划,避开不适宜的时间段施工,缩短衬里浇筑后的放置时间,同时加强通风养护,及时脱水烘炉,严格控制烘炉过程的升温速度和持续时间等,避免出现类似问题.     

Type 2 Transglutaminase in Coeliac Disease: A Key Player in Pathogenesis,Diagnosis and Therapy

Type 2 transglutaminase (TG2) is the main autoantigen in coeliac disease (CD), a widespread inflammatory enteropathy caused by the ingestion of gluten-containing cereals in genetically predisposed individuals. As a consequence, serum antibodies to TG2 represent a very useful marker in CD diagnosis. However, TG2 is also an important player in CD pathogenesis, for its ability to deamidate some Gln residues of gluten peptides, which become more immunogenic in CD intestinal mucosa. Given the importance of TG2 enzymatic activities in CD, several studies have sought to discover specific and potent inhibitors that could be employed in new therapeutical approaches for CD, as alternatives to a lifelong gluten-free diet. In this review, we summarise all the aspects regarding TG2 involvement in CD, including its enzymatic reactions in pathogenesis, the role of anti-TG2 antibodies in disease management, and the exploration of recent strategies to reduce deamidation or to use transamidation to detoxify gluten.     

化工企业的环保管理方法探讨

环境保护已经成为了我国在发展经济的过程中需要遵循的基本原则,特别是化工企业在进行生产过程中产生废料对环境的污染十分严重,必须进行无害化处理,达到排放标准。但是,传统的管理方案已经无法适应当前企业的发展需求,为了能够让环保工作切实为企业的发展做出贡献,需要采用先进的管理办法,完成对管理方法的有效探讨,创建环境友好型社会。     

Catalysis, a driver for sustainability and societal challenges

Catalysis is an enabling technology to promote sustainability, environment, energy, health and quality of life. This contribution discusses the role of catalysis in achieving these objectives and some of the factors which will drive the changes in catalysis research in the next years, in particular the need to go to more sustainable and modular-design of the chemical processes (F³-factory), the use of biomass and of renewables, including solar energy, and the challenges offered from electrocatalysis. It is also emphasized the need to strength research on catalysis, and some examples of how to overcome fragmentation barriers, particularly in catalysis areas (homo-, hetero- and bio-) and in academy–industry interactions. The need to create a longer term vision and strong collaborations in order to develop a knowledge platform, in order to accelerate the innovation path. Finally, the need to develop new catalytic materials, particularly of tailoring catalyst nano-architectures and develop new catalysts based on the concepts of nanoreactors and catalytic nanofactories are discussed.     

An Update on Graphene-Based Nanomaterials for Neural Growth and Central Nervous System Regeneration

Thanks to their reduced size, great surface area, and capacity to interact with cells and tissues, nanomaterials present some attractive biological and chemical characteristics with potential uses in the field of biomedical applications. In this context, graphene and its chemical derivatives have been extensively used in many biomedical research areas from drug delivery to bioelectronics and tissue engineering. Graphene-based nanomaterials show excellent optical, mechanical, and biological properties. They can be used as a substrate in the field of tissue engineering due to their conductivity, allowing to study, and educate neural connections, and guide neural growth and differentiation; thus, graphene-based nanomaterials represent an emerging aspect in regenerative medicine. Moreover, there is now an urgent need to develop multifunctional and functionalized nanomaterials able to arrive at neuronal cells through the blood-brain barrier, to manage a specific drug delivery system. In this review, we will focus on the recent applications of graphene-based nanomaterials in vitro and in vivo, also combining graphene with other smart materials to achieve the best benefits in the fields of nervous tissue engineering and neural regenerative medicine. We will then highlight the potential use of these graphene-based materials to construct graphene 3D scaffolds able to stimulate neural growth and regeneration in vivo for clinical applications.     

Investigation of wax deposit ‘sloughing’ from paraffinic mixtures in pipe flow

Deposit ‘sloughing’ from ‘waxy’ crude oils has been described in the literature as a possible mechanism, leading to partial or complete dislodging of the deposit from the pipe wall due to changes in flow parameters. A bench‐scale flow loop apparatus was used to investigate ‘sloughing’ with prepared single‐phase ‘waxy’ mixtures of a multicomponent paraffinic wax dissolved in a multicomponent solvent. Experiments were performed to study the changes in the deposit‐layer thickness due to step increments in the ‘waxy’ mixture flow rate, the mixture temperature, and the coolant temperature. It was observed that the deposit‐layer thickness decreased with an increase in each of the three parameters; however, a complete or sudden dislodging of the deposit‐layer did not occur in any of the experiments. A steady‐state heat‐transfer model was used to predict the variation in the deposit mass or thickness due to changes in the selected parameters. In each case, the step‐wise decrease in the deposit thickness, as observed experimentally, was predicted to be caused by changes in the thermal resistance and/or thermal driving force.     

Mitochondrial Mechanisms in Septic Cardiomyopathy

Sepsis is the manifestation of the immune and inflammatory response to infection that may ultimately result in multi organ failure. Despite the therapeutic strategies that have been used up to now, sepsis and septic shock remain a leading cause of death in critically ill patients. Myocardial dysfunction is a well-described complication of severe sepsis, also referred to as septic cardiomyopathy, which may progress to right and left ventricular pump failure. Many substances and mechanisms seem to be involved in myocardial dysfunction in sepsis, including toxins, cytokines, nitric oxide, complement activation, apoptosis and energy metabolic derangements. Nevertheless, the precise underlying molecular mechanisms as well as their significance in the pathogenesis of septic cardiomyopathy remain incompletely understood. A well-investigated abnormality in septic cardiomyopathy is mitochondrial dysfunction, which likely contributes to cardiac dysfunction by causing myocardial energy depletion. A number of mechanisms have been proposed to cause mitochondrial dysfunction in septic cardiomyopathy, although it remains controversially discussed whether some mechanisms impair mitochondrial function or serve to restore mitochondrial function. The purpose of this review is to discuss mitochondrial mechanisms that may causally contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction and/or may represent adaptive responses to mitochondrial dysfunction in septic cardiomyopathy.     

A study of global vs. local properties for maleic anhydride modified polypropylene nanocomposites

Nanoindentation of organomodified clay filled maleated polypropylene (MAPP) was investigated. The study aims to identify the relative increase in local stiffness in comparison to the increase in mechanical properties of the bulk in polypropylene-based nanocomposites. Such a study allows one to assess confined material property in addition to increased filler volume at the local scale. A mixture of highly intercalated and well exfoliated clay structures, when dispersed in MAPP matrix, was observed under transmission electron microscopy. The degree of exfoliation was found to increase with clay loading, which was attributed to the higher viscosity and mechanical shear forces during melt compounding. Instrumented indentation was performed on (1) clay aggregate supported by MAPP matrix, (2) clay-matrix boundary, and (3) the MAPP matrix. The clay aggregated region generally showed higher stiffness as compared to the matrix. And, the relative increase in indentation stiffness is substantially higher than the relative increase in tensile and compressive stiffnesses for clay reinforced systems. Polymer chain confinement and topological constraint appeared to be operative to enhance local stiffness in the clay aggregated region. Good correlation was, however, obtained between the change in macroscopic stiffness and the change in highly local indentation stiffness as a result of clay reinforcement.     

浅析卫生陶瓷企业产品质量检验管理的要点

我国卫生陶瓷生产产量近年来增长迅猛,但是产品质量总体水平仍有待进一步提高。笔者希望通过对现阶段卫生陶瓷质量检验管理的分析,与广大卫生陶瓷企业探讨如何切实有效、实事求是地建立起一套质量管理体系,使企业在获得认证证书、确保抽查合格的同时,建立起一套长效机制,实实在在把产品做好,以实现基业长青。