Key Parameters for Strength Control of Artificially Cemented Soils

Often, the use of traditional techniques in geotechnical engineering faces obstacles of economical and environmental nature. The addition of cement becomes an attractive technique when the project requires improvement of the local soil. The treatment of soils with cement finds application, for instance, in the construction of pavement base layers, in slope protection of earth dams, and as a support layer for shallow foundations. However, there are no dosage methodologies based on rational criteria as exist in the case of the concrete technology, where the water/cement ratio plays a fundamental role in the assessment of the target strength. This study therefore aims to quantify the influence of the amount of cement, the porosity and the moisture content on the strength of a sandy soil artificially cemented, as well as to evaluate the use of a water/cement ratio and a voids/cement ratio to assess its unconfined compression strength. A number of unconfined compression tests, triaxial compression tests, and measurements of matric suction were carried out. The results show that the unconfined compression strength increased linearly with the increase in the cement content and exponentially with the reduction in porosity of the compacted mixture. The change in moisture content also has a marked effect on the unconfined compression strength of mixtures compacted at the same dry density. It was shown that, for the soil-cement mixture in an unsaturated state (which is usual for compacted fills), the water/cement ratio is not a good parameter for the assessment of unconfined compression strength. In contrast, the voids/cement ratio, defined as the ratio between the porosity of the compacted mixture and the volumetric cement content, is demonstrated to be the most appropriate parameter to assess the unconfined compression strength of the soil-cement mixture studied.     

Angle resolved X-ray photoemission spectroscopy double layer model for in situ characterization of metal organic chemical vapour deposition nanometric films

In situ Angle Resolved X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (ARXPS) characterizations of TiO₂ thin films grown on silicon by Metal Organic Chemical Vapour Deposition were performed in order to get information on interfacial reactions at the first stages of the growth, one of the aims being to understand the influence of deposition conditions. Thickness measurements were also carried out from ARXPS analyses. As the real structure of the films was shown to be a double layer system such as TiO₂/SiO₂/Si, an ARXPS model of thickness and surface coverage determination was applied to each layer independently. However, the application of this model to very thin films underestimates the surface coverage of the interfacial layer. A “Double Layer” model taking into account the attenuation of the silicon oxide and substrate signals by the external layer was also developed.     

Daunorubicin‐Loaded DNA Origami Nanostructures Circumvent Drug‐Resistance Mechanisms in a Leukemia Model

Many cancers show primary or acquired drug resistance due to the overexpression of efflux pumps. A novel mechanism to circumvent this is to integrate drugs, such as anthracycline antibiotics, with nanoparticle delivery vehicles that can bypass intrinsic tumor drug‐resistance mechanisms. DNA nanoparticles serve as an efficient binding platform for intercalating drugs (e.g., anthracyclines doxorubicin and daunorubicin, which are widely used to treat acute leukemias) and enable precise structure design and chemical modifications, for example, for incorporating targeting capabilities. Here, DNA nanostructures are utilized to circumvent daunorubicin drug resistance at clinically relevant doses in a leukemia cell line model. The fabrication of a rod‐like DNA origami drug carrier is reported that can be controllably loaded with daunorubicin. It is further directly verified that nanostructure‐mediated daunorubicin delivery leads to increased drug entry and retention in cells relative to free daunorubicin at equal concentrations, which yields significantly enhanced drug efficacy. Our results indicate that DNA origami nanostructures can circumvent efflux‐pump‐mediated drug resistance in leukemia cells at clinically relevant drug concentrations and provide a robust DNA nanostructure design that could be implemented in a wide range of cellular applications due to its remarkably fast self‐assembly (≈5 min) and excellent stability in cell culture conditions.     

A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE REORDERING PROBLEM IN MULTIPATH ROUTING

The term multipath routing means using multiple paths concurrently to transport data over network. The main problem of this routing scheme is the difference among the delays of selected paths, which causes reordering of a single flow's packets. In this paper, this problem is analyzed through a sociological perspective. We show that reordering problem is not inherently related to multipath routing, rather caused by the dominant capitalist view of the problem. then, the problem is addressed through a Marxism perspective. We theoretically prove that by this perspective, there exists a routing scheme that minimizes latency and also the requirement of buffering at receiver.     

Mapping the regional extent of tropical forest regeneration stages in the Brazilian Legal Amazon using NOAA AVHRR data

The study aimed to map several stages of tropical forest regeneration across the Brazilian Legal Amazon using 1.1 km NOAA AVHRR data. Regenerating forest extent was defined using an unsupervised classification of AVHRR channels 1, 2 and 3 and the Global Environment Monitoring Index (GEMI). A method for discriminating four forest regeneration stages was then developed, based on relationships between AVHRR channels 1, 2 and 3 and forest age. This method was applied to AVHRR data to map forests associated with Stages I (early colonization phase, open canopy, < 5 years), II (closed, singlelayered canopy, 5-9 years), III (closed canopy with structural development, 9-20 years) and IV (closed multilayered canopy, > 20 years). The maps provided new regional estimates of regenerating forest for the Legal Amazon and indicated that, over the period 1991 to 1994, approximately 35.8% (157 973 km2) of the total deforested area of 440 186 km2 (estimated for 1992) supported regenerating forest, with 48% of these forests aged at less than 5 years. The study concluded that AVHRR data has an important role in mapping and monitoring tropical forest regeneration. The datasets generated provide valuable input to models of regional carbon flux. For example, Grace et al . (1995a, b) reported net annual CO2 absorption 8.5 2.0 moles m 2 for mature forests in south-west Amazonia suggesting     

Time horizons in rats foraging for food in temporally separated patches.

An important tenet of optimal foraging theory is that foragers compare prey densities in alternative patches to determine an optimal distribution of foraging behavior over time. A critical question is over what time period (time horizon) this integration of information and behavior occurs. Recent research has indicated that rats do not compare food density in a depleting patch with that in a rich patch delayed by an hour or more (Timberlake, 1984). In the present research we attempted to specify over what time period a future rich patch would affect current foraging. The effect of future food was measured by early entry into the rich patch (anticipation) and by a decrease in food obtained in the depleting patch (suppression). The rats showed anticipation of a rich patch up to an hour distant, but suppressed current feeding only if the rich patch was 16 min distant or less. The suppression effect appeared mediated by competition for expression between anticipatory entries into the rich patch and continued foraging in the depleting patch. These results suggest that optimal foraging is based on a variety of specific mechanisms rather than a general optimizing algorithm with a single time horizon. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Click‐ligation of coumarin to polyether polyols for polyurethane foams

A simple strategy for the synthesis and functionalization of polyurethanes is described. Anionic ring‐opening polymerization was combined with ‘click’ chemistry to synthesize polyols with fluorescent properties. This route allows the incorporation of a wide range of functionalities in the polyols with an easy, clean and highly selective process compatible with several types of functional groups. The proposed strategy opens the way to the production, in a cost‐effective way, of ‘smart’ polyurethanes with non‐conventional properties like fire retardancy, antimite properties, antibacterial properties, etc. Alkynyl groups were introduced into the polyol chains by the controlled addition of glycidyl propargyl ether as co‐monomer during a conventional anionic ring‐opening copolymerization with propylene oxide. Subsequently 4‐azidomethyl‐7‐methoxycoumarin molecules were introduced onto the alkynyl‐polyether polyols by copper‐catalysed cycloaddition reactions to produce end‐functionalized polyols. The chemical structure of the novel polyols was characterized using infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography with triple detection and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectroscopy. These characterization techniques confirmed the presence of a considerable amount of functional groups in the structure of the polyols. Finally, various fluorescent rigid foams, based on the functionalized polyols, were synthesized. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

RNRA and neutron threshold analyses of thick lithium coatings deposited by sputter evaporation

Li coatings on various substrates have numerous applications: Boron neutron capture therapy, super conducting tokamak, etc.Unfortunately the main difficulty using Li is its reactivity in air and diffusion into metals. It is the only metal that reacts with nitrogen at room temperature and it tarnishes and oxidizes rapidly in air.In this work, we investigate how to profile thick Li layers (50 μm) deposited on SiO₂ substrates by a method based on plasma sputtering, involving both DC sputtering and evaporation simultaneously.A thick Li layer (≈10 μm) was covered with a thin stainless steel layer to prevent oxidation during transfer of the sample from the sputtering chamber and the accelerator. Li coatings were investigated by RNRA and neutron threshold reaction to obtain interdiffusion profiles of the different components and their concentration. The depth profile using the ⁷Li(p,γ)⁸Be^∗ resonance nuclear reaction occurring at 440 keV allows us to obtain Li concentration versus depth up to 50 μm.Preliminary results indicate that homogeneous Li layers can be obtained and protected against air, even though it diffuses into the encapsulated layers.     

Synthesis and structural characteristics of highly graphitized carbon nanofibers produced from the catalytic decomposition of ethylene: Influence of the active metal (Co, Ni, Fe) and the zeolite type support

In order to study the influence of the metal phase in the carbon yield and structural characteristics of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) synthesized by CVD over supported catalysts, different catalysts were prepared using iron, cobalt and nickel as active metal and zeolites Y and mordenite as support. The results showed that the metal precursor produced a great influence on the catalytic activity, fact that could be explained in according to the different solubility of carbon in the metals or in the differences in the diffusion and segregation of carbon through the metal particles. Characterization data of the solid carbon products revealed unique structures and textural properties as well as crystalline conditions on function of metal used. Additionally, support-metal interaction was evaluated, where experiments with similar nickel load over Y and mordenite zeolites were carried out, finding higher carbon yields and more ordered structures when Y zeolite was used.