A unified critical state model for geomaterials with an application to tunnelling

This paper is prepared in honour of Professor E.T. Brown for his outstanding contributions to rock mechanics and geotechnical engineering and also for his personal influence on the first author's research career in geomechanics and geotechnical engineering. As a result, we have picked a topic that reflects two key research areas in which Professor E.T. Brown has made seminal contributions over a long and distinguished career. These two areas are concerned with the application of the critical state concept to modelling geomaterials and the analysis of underground excavation or tunnelling in geomaterials.Partially due to Professor Brown's influence, the first author has also been conducting research in these two areas over many years. In particular, this paper aims to describe briefly the development of a unified critical state model for geomaterials together with an application to cavity contraction problems and tunnelling in soils.     

A Dual Inhibitor of DYRK1A and GSK3β for β-Cell Proliferation: Aminopyrazine Derivative GNF4877

Loss of β-cell mass and function can lead to insufficient insulin levels and ultimately to hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus. The mainstream treatment approach involves regulation of insulin levels; however, approaches intended to increase β-cell mass are less developed. Promoting β-cell proliferation with low-molecular-weight inhibitors of dual-specificity tyrosine-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) offers the potential to treat diabetes with oral therapies by restoring β-cell mass, insulin content and glycemic control. GNF4877, a potent dual inhibitor of DYRK1A and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) was previously reported to induce primary human β-cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Herein, we describe the lead optimization that lead to the identification of GNF4877 from an aminopyrazine hit identified in a phenotypic high-throughput screening campaign measuring β-cell proliferation.     

3-三氟甲基-5,6,7,8-四氢-1,2,4-三唑[4,3-α]吡嗪盐酸盐的合成

乙二胺与氯乙酸乙酯经取代、环合反应制得2-哌嗪酮,2-哌嗪酮与Boc酸酐进行氨基保护反应后,再与五硫化二磷进行硫代反应制得4-(N-叔丁氧羰基)-2-哌嗪硫酮,其与三氟乙酰肼经取代、环合、脱叔丁氧羰基成盐,得标题化合物,总收率为45.7%(以氯乙酸乙酯计)。为磷酸西他列汀中间体的工业化生产提供了一条较理想的工艺路线。     

Study of Disk-Loaded Waveguide Filled with Plasma

Recently disk-loaded waveguide has been widely used in high-power traveling wave tubes (HPTWT). It has been shown in many experiments that the interaction efficiency and output power can be increased greatly by injecting plasma into the vacuum microwave device. Using field analysis, the dispersion characteristics and the interaction impedance of the disk-loaded waveguide filled with plasma are analyzed in a strong longitudinal magnetic field. In conclusion, the frequency of the TM₀₁ mode increases as the density of the plasma increases. It also can be found when the plasma density increases to a large scale, the TM₀₁ mode of the disk-loaded waveguide overlaps the TG mode, these two modes couple each other and form the new hybrid modes.     

A Linear Cross-Coupled Control System for High-Speed Machining

We present a linear cross-coupled controller to improve highspeed contouring accuracy independently of tracking accuracy in a biaxial machine tool feed drive servomechanism. Unlike conventional cross-coupled controllers, the cross-coupled controller presented here is a linear system, so it is very easy to perform the stability and steady-state error analysis, and to optimise the controller parameters. The proposed controller is evaluated experimentally on a CNC LOM machine and compared to an uncoupled controller and a conventional cross-coupled controller. Controller performance is evaluated for a circular contour at a feedrate of 30 m min _1 . The experimental results show that the proposed controller can greatly reduce the contour error at large feedrates. The linear cross-coupled controller is simple to implement and is practical.     

Improvement of RCA transistor using RTA annealing after theformation of interfacial oxide

A polysilicon emitter RCA transistor (an ultra-thin interfacial oxide layer exists between polysilicon and silicon emitter) is presented which can operate at 77 K for the first time. An ultra-thin (1.5 nm) interfacial oxide layer is grown deliberately between polysilicon and silicon emitter using RCA oxidation and excellent device stability is obtained after rapid thermal annealing (RTA) treatment in nitrogen atmosphere. The RCA transistor exhibits good electrical performance at very low temperature for an emitter area of 3 × 8 μm². The maximum toggle frequency of a 1:2 static divider is 1.2 GHz and 732 MHz at 300 K and 77 K, respectively     

Construction and performance of a multiparameter focal plane detector for use on a QMG/2 magnetic spectrometer

The design, construction and performance of a modular, two pressure focal plane detector, 550 mm long, 1000 mm deep and with an active height of 60 mm are described. The detector has been operated with ions ranging from 50 MeV ¹H to 200 MeV ³⁶S. Typical results achieved are 0.5 mm and 0.3° for the spatial and angular resolutions, and 0.7% and 3% for the total energy and energy loss measurements. A height signal is also provided.     

Matrix unit cell scheduler (MUCS) for input-buffered ATM switches

This paper presents a novel matrix unit cell scheduler (MUCS) for input-buffered asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switches. The MUCS concept originates from a heuristic strategy that leads to an optimal solution for cell scheduling. Numerical analysis indicates that input-buffered ATM switches scheduled by MUCS can utilize nearly 100% of the available link bandwidth. A transistor-level MUCS circuit has been designed and verified using HSPICE. The circuit features a regular structure, minimal interconnects, and a low transistor count. HSPICE simulation indicates that using 2-μm CMOS technology, the MUCS circuit can operate at clock frequency of 100 MHz     

Mathematical modelling of surface segregation in aluminum DC casting caused by exudation

A mathematical model for the development of a segregated layer of exudated droplets during DC casting of aluminum ingots is established. The model accounts for the metallostatic pressure driven interdendritic melt flow through the mushy zone by a Darcy type equation, the surface segregation due to this melt flow, and the decrease of the total solute concentration in different positions of the mush as a result of the exudation. The solution domain for the governing differential equations is constituted by the mushy zone of the cast. The main physical phenomena included in the model have been studied in a simple one dimensional case study.